


Bondageverse

by NanakiBH



Series: HeroTV Forums [2]
Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Bondage, Car Sex, Clothed Sex, Cosplay, Crossdressing, E-stim, Fanfiction, Frottage, Honey, M/M, Master/Servant, Meta, Porn With Plot, Public Sex, Rape Roleplay, Role Reversal, Roleplay, Romance, Rough Sex, Sex Toys, Whipping, sex dungeon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-26
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-04 08:49:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 88,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/391993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a story about the internet's power to bring an unlikely pair together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Danger and Delight Grow on One Stalk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll probably want to read Forumverse first for the full context of this story. Enjoy.
> 
> If you find any mistakes I left in this thing, please tell me.

Ivan felt like a cat that was about to be thrown over a bridge; bagged, paws tied, unable to see a thing.

Well, that was the mental image, at least. That was what he assumed he had to look like because currently, his hands were tied behind his back and he was laying on his stomach, unable to move an inch. His ankles were strapped to the corners of the... bed? Table? It felt harder and colder than a bed and wasn’t very comfortable, so it had to be one of those contraptions that people used for intense bdsm or for... surgery.

Didn’t they put people on their stomach to remove their kidneys? Or was that the thing where they put someone in an ice bath?

Ivan woke up thinking that he _knew_ where he was but that was quickly being replaced by the worry that he wasn’t actually being held under the appreciative, dominating gaze of his new friend-in-bondage.

Words failed him entirely. It didn’t help that there was a gag in his mouth, but really, words failed him for what was going on. For starters, this all began with that offline meet. It was shocking enough to learn who stophavingfun was, but even more surprising to know that he, a state _judge_ was into hardcore bondage. Ivan never thought he’d personally be into anything like that, but when Yuri asked, he was just like, _yeah, sure, whatever._

That wasn’t a “yes”, but it apparently wasn’t enough of a “no” to keep him from getting tied to a table.

So was he going to fuck him? What exactly was he waiting for? Ivan was definitely naked and his cock was pressed rather uncomfortably between his legs against the cold metal table. He was exposed enough that he feared for the safety of his delicate parts, but he was also starting to worry about breathing. Calm just a few minutes ago, his heart was starting to beat harder despite himself and the gag in his mouth was making it difficult to breathe.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t hear anyone. There was warmth along his back, probably from some kind of overhead light, which wasn’t helping the image in his mind of an operation room. The warm light combined with the cool metal beneath him was making him break out in a cold sweat and if he wasn’t careful, he worried what would happen if he got sick.

He really wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing. Neither was Yuri, by the looks of it. If he was so into it that he had a room dedicated to it, then he really had to learn more about what it meant to be a good master. Not that Ivan had ever experienced anything of the nature before... But seeing enough porn told him that this was something that had to be enjoyed consensually, even if some people liked to add the illusion of non-consent.

The alternative here was that he was being held by someone who wanted to cut out his kidneys and sell them for big cash. Swell.

He really had no idea of how long he would be laying there unless he could hear some movement.

Footsteps...?

No, he was hearing things... and/or going crazy.

His shoulders _really_ ached.

“ _Have you missed me?_ ” a familiar voice asked, right next to his ear.

Ivan jerked and the accompanying sounds he made were muffled by the gag. Thankfully, it was removed and he was able to suck in a few good mouthfuls of air. His heart was not prepared for that. _Had_ he heard footsteps before? That really wasn’t funny to just show up right next to a person, especially when they couldn’t see, but his captor was laughing mercilessly nonetheless. By the sound of it, Yuri was having himself a lot of fun. “Don’t use the Lunatic voice. _Seriously_ , you just scared the shit out of me. I’ll probably have nightmares forever now.”

“Oh, you’re no fun,” he replied.

“So? The hell is this? Are we somewhere in your bondage cave?”

Blessedly gentle, cool fingers slid between his shoulder blades and down his back. Despite himself, Ivan shivered and raised himself up to try to capture more of that touch. Were Yuri’s fingers always that cold? It felt pretty nice.

“You’re really easy to manipulate.”

Ivan pressed his head into the table and tried to still his shoulders. “Stop it, you aren’t supposed to say that to the person you’re-”

“You’re really easy to manipulate. Look where I have you. Do you remember how you got here?”

“No,” he said, trying his hardest to remember that part still, “and honestly, that’s really creepy. I didn’t consent to this, did I?”

“Would you?”

Well, if they were talking about whether he would or not, Ivan had to wonder if he had consented already before he got knocked out or whatever. It was very possible that he had already given him the go-ahead and that he just couldn’t remember it. Had there even been a safe-word mentioned here? The last thing he could remember was being at his own house in his own room and he didn’t even remember when he went to see Yuri. His head felt clouded, but it didn’t hurt, so he doubted that he had used force to knock him out. Still, with as much memory loss as Ivan was suffering, he had to imagine that Yuri had used some sort of sedative on him. Would you need a sedative for a person who was willing?

“So what are we going to do?” he asked, genuinely curious, slightly afraid.

“We? What am _I_ going to do is the question. And I’m not sure, just so you know; haven’t decided yet, so I’m just going to make it up as I go along and find out what you react to best.”

Why did he still sound like that? It sounded enough like Yuri for him to believe it was him, but also so much like Lunatic that it was disturbing. It had the same echo and hollow tone. That wasn't very funny. He couldn't blame Yuri for his taste in heroes (or vigilantes, rather) but that voice was doing something to his head.

“I’d really like it if I could see...”

“And I’d like it if you stopped talking,” he said, popping the gag back into Ivan’s mouth, refastening it just a little tighter at the back of his neck. Ivan only snorted his displeasure, but realized that he couldn’t do much to help his situation. He had already gotten the idea that Yuri was the type who did whatever he wanted. Ivan, strangely, found himself kind of okay with that. As long as what he did didn’t hurt too badly. “First rule,” he said, tapping Ivan on the back of one thigh. “No. Questions. I’m sure you have a lot of them, but I’m the one who asks the questions. You answer with your body.”

Ivan already had a question. Were there more rules? Because when a person says “first rule”, that generally means that there will be more and Ivan really wanted to know what the others were so that he didn’t accidentally break them. Also, what was he supposed to do about a safe-word _now_?

“I’m wondering what your threshold for pain is, mostly. I have the feeling you haven’t experimented in that before, considering that you were a virgin just last night.”

Well that was reassuring. If he knew that much, then this was definitely Yuri. Unless he was going to get fucked by Lunatic. Ivan enjoyed a minor internal laugh at the ridiculous thought.

He really wished that he had realized sooner that he wouldn’t be having unblindfolded, ungagged sex with Yuri for very long, though. Just look at how easily he had knocked him out and gotten him into his sex lair - the guy was _more_ than eager to get this started. Ivan was sure that he now had many bright days of extremely kinky sex in his future; the likes of which he had only seen before in hentai. As it was turning out, hentai had not prepared him for the real thing.

He really wouldn’t mind more of the kind of sex they had the night before. That was... That was an experience.

Yuri was being very quiet, aside from the clanking Ivan could hear from somewhere off behind him. What _was_ that? His mind tried to conjure all manner of different devices he could be sorting through and he decided that they all sounded bad.

He hadn’t even realized that his shoulders had been shaking again until he felt Yuri’s palm return to the center of his back. His touch was so cold, and so unexpectedly relaxing.

“That works, doesn’t it?”

Ivan didn’t know exactly what he meant, but he breathed a little more calmly through his nose and tried to ignore the dizziness in his head. That seemed easier to do when he had that cold hand on his back. He tried his best to maintain that state of mind while Yuri was grabbing his balls with his other hand. This time, Ivan couldn’t suppress the surprised squeak that came from his throat when he felt him tighten his fist.

The bastard was really just trying to surprise him first. Figured.

But then Ivan realized what was coming next as he felt cold metal touch him and slide securely over his cock and balls. He hadn’t been hard before, but knowing that he had a cock ring around him now made him twitch and he wanted to slap himself for it. This was the part that was going to kill him. When Yuri said he wanted to test his threshold, he _really_ wasn’t kidding. He wasn’t going to hold back at all on their very first shot.

Maybe that worked for other people who were already used to that type of intensity, but Ivan was quivering thinking about what else he could be readying that he couldn’t see.

Something was dragged along his leg from the back of one knee up to his backside. It felt a little soft, but it was firm, whatever it was; small, and maybe attached to something? Ivan didn't have to think too hard about it when he felt the first blow delivered to the back of his knee. That was... an odd spot, he thought. It was obviously a riding crop of some type, but Ivan had expected it to be used on his ass not there.

Then came another few light taps, then some more which hit with varying degrees of intensity that felt to be tolerable overall. None of it seemed too bad, though Ivan still wondered why he was paying attention to such an odd spot when he had his ass right there for the taking. Literally, he was expecting him to fuck him, not gently smack the backs of his knees.

Except the smacks started growing gradually harder as he alternated between his left knee and his right. _Oh_. He was starting to understand it now. As soon as he imagined what it would be like to stand up, he knew what Yuri was trying to do to him. If he tried to stand or even bend his legs, the burning would be too intense and he would want to lay back down like this. Even the thought of being on his knees sounded painful.

He groaned around the gag, wishing he could tell him to lay up a little, but it appeared that Yuri had his plans for him already set. Though, Ivan supposed that that was alright. Bondage was supposed to be about enduring something painful for the one in his position. If he couldn't handle a little soreness, then what was the point? He would probably just disappoint Yuri...

Wait, he cared? He _cared?_ Ivan didn't know what to think about that feeling just yet; not when Yuri had removed the crop and replaced it with his hands. He wanted to put his own hands over the sore spot. It didn't make sense how that would actually help the pain go away, but Yuri's touch did make it feel a little better... until he went and gave the back of one knee a hard pinch.

The gag in his mouth stifled the sound he made and he had to close his eyes and tried to calm down so his throat wouldn't start rebelling already. He would try to do all that he could to stay in control, but he couldn't help feeling some shame at the way he was getting harder. That was probably understandable, though. The backs of his knees were sensitive and ticklish; it was totally understandable... except he feared for how it would be when he went out next time as Origami Cyclone and couldn't run due to soreness.

_Yuri, stop. You know that I'm a hero, so..._

No, it was still too early to want him to stop. The city didn't really require too much from him right now anyway. If he stayed in the background just to let his legs recover a little then that would be fine.

The crop returned, stroking gently across his backside. Not that he didn't know what to expect at that moment, but he really wished that Yuri would say something. Maybe he just liked it when the sound of the crop hitting him was the only sound in the room. It was just a small strip of leather and skin was smooth, so it was amazing how the two could create such a loud noise when they collided. In the position he was laying in, his legs didn't hurt too much – yet. He would be reminded of that if Yuri tried to move him, but the attention he was giving his backside was definitely meant to leave a sting no matter what.

_One..._

_Two..._

Ivan tried predicting where the crop would land on him next, but it was impossible and it caught him off guard with every strike. At the point that he stopped trying to figure it out, he realized that he was screaming into the gag, making noises he didn't even know he was capable of. By then, there were stinging spots all over that made each renewed blow deliver inescapable pain and he knew that he was nearing the point where he would tell Yuri to stop.

He couldn't, though. Try as he might to form to word “no” or “stop”, the gag in his mouth didn't allow him to form the words and they came out sounding no different from his other cries. Calming himself down was getting difficult when he was finding it painful to breathe, wasting all of his air on the uncontrollable yelps and wails of pain. The crop continued to fall with mounting vigor and Ivan could even hear the way that Yuri breathed harder.

There had to be some kind of signal...

He just couldn't remember it. If he had agreed to this then they must have planned out a word or an action for him to do if it became too much to take, but there was so much missing from his head and the sudden fear that he couldn't do anything was making it worse.

At the point that tears were threatening the corners of his eyes, Yuri stopped.

“You got quiet,” Yuri said finally, idly sliding the end of the crop between Ivan's ass. Ivan hadn't even noticed when he stopped making noises. It felt like he had been that whole time. Maybe he just didn't have a voice anymore to scream with. Or maybe he blacked out again and didn't even know it.

Gentle hands smoothed over his backside and Ivan pressed his forehead into the table, breathing heavily through his nose. A moment later, the hands were gone and he felt Yuri removing the gag for him. His jaw felt sore and he was sure he must have looked like a ridiculous sight, unable to keep back the saliva that rolled down his chin as the rubber ball was removed.

“Breathe for a minute,” he ordered. “I'm not done yet, you know.”

Not done? Ivan wondered if Yuri would notice if he just fell asleep. Could he ignore pain if he were asleep or would it keep him awake? His treatment didn't seem like much in the greater scheme of things when he considered how much more he could bring, but it already felt like enough to make him pass out. Though, maybe it had to do with the lack of oxygen he had been experiencing.

When his brain finally started working again, he realized that this was his time to ask Yuri what he had to do if it got to be too much to take. He opened his mouth.

Yuri put the gag back in it and Ivan made a surprised sound around it, immediately sure that his chance had just been silenced.

He hushed him sweetly and started slowly working out the knot in the rope that bound his wrists together. For that, Ivan was a somewhat glad. The throbbing that came into his arms when he was able to move them again was unpleasant, but if he had the use of his hands, then he could just pull down the gag and-

Really, he should have seen it coming, blindfold or not. Yuri grabbed both of his hands when he saw him reach up for the gag and pinned them at his sides.

“No.”

_What-_

Ivan didn't question him, just laid still as Yuri continued lower and began untying his ankles from the corners of the table. However, instead of being glad, Ivan knew what this was meaning. Even if his head still felt confused, trying to adjust to a world without sight, he could still see what was going to happen if Yuri was untying him. He wasn't letting him go, _he wanted him on his knees._

Come _on._

Before his hands could be retied or pulled away again, Ivan quickly reached up and yanked the ball of of his mouth.

“What if I want you to stop?” he asked hurriedly, his tongue numb, but thankfully able to form words.

Yuri laughed, a strangely frightening sound when Ivan couldn't see him. The gag was pressed against his lips again and he sighed, accepting it back into his mouth. “I won't. Don't you remember now?” No, not really. “You surrendered yourself to me.”

That was all? How fantastic.

_No, that was not fantastic at all. What was he going to do?_

Why... Why was he so _hard_ for this? What the hell had he agreed to?

Yuri put his hands under his arms and lifted him until he could sit at the edge of the table. Even that little bit of movement made Ivan feel the stinging at the backs of his legs and he groaned. His shoulders slumped forward, the change in position confusing his head. His feet searched blindly for the floor until his toes touched it, but even knowing where up was and where down was, he still felt dizzy.

“You're cute when you're confused,” Yuri purred, unexpectedly close to Ivan's ear. “You look so dazed.”

That's because he was. If Yuri would just take the blindfold off then he wouldn't feel so strange, but he really seemed to enjoy seeing him looking abused if that husky tone of voice he had now was any indication. So much for that. And so much for having his hands free. Yuri took both of Ivan's palms and held them together at the wrist, then tied them neatly together until Ivan couldn't do more than link his fingers together.

He sighed, drawing his eyebrows together. At the very least, he would have appreciated it if Yuri would touch him. That must have been the whole point of the cock ring, though.

That asshole.

“Don't be so impatient,” he said, drawing a thumb along Ivan's lower lip, tracing the outline it made around the ball in his mouth. “I haven't forgotten about this.” Ivan gasped as Yuri ran a finger along the underside of his cock and toyed with the tip, rubbing his finger back and forth. “We haven't even gotten to the best part yet.”

Something had to be wrong with him to want it this much. Getting on the floor, spreading out on his knees... It hurt insanely bad now that he switched positions, but he wanted to know. How badly would it hurt if he fucked him like this? That was the plan, wasn't it? He'd been working his way up to this all along, hadn't he? Ivan had been anticipating that move for this long, so he just had to know. That was all.

It couldn't be that bad. The pain in his legs was somehow tolerable now, even if all of his weight was being supported by his knees. It was even okay when Yuri started spanking him, drawing his hand slowly over his backside, then bringing it back for more forceful strikes. There had to be a point where pain just stopped hurting and became something else because Ivan realized that he must have reached it now. His body jerked, trying to move him away from Yuri's touch, but he kept lifting his hips back up, spreading his knees wider, hoping to capture more from him.

Had he known all along that it would be like this? A day ago, hero thing aside, Ivan thought of himself as a relatively normal person who just happened to spend his free time writing sexually explicit fanfiction. Writing about bondage and enjoying it for himself sounded like two totally different, unrelated things... before this.

He was going to have marks on his forehead if he kept pressing his face into the floor like this, but there wasn't anything he could do. The stray strikes that landed at the back of his balls just made him groan and get even harder and now the most painful part was the fact that he couldn't come.

He tried whimpering Yuri's name around the gag to no avail. 

He cursed the tears on his face for betraying him.

He cursed his body for confusing him too, for making him want something he hadn't even realized that he wanted.

And Yuri must have known the whole time, from the moment he looked at him. It made him feel pathetic, like it was obvious to other people that he was a mat for stepping on. After he stood up against Lunatic, he thought that he had proven to himself that he could take control, that he wouldn't stand down for anyone, but Yuri still saw that quality in him and he knew how to use it. He embraced it. He wanted it, even.

And Ivan wanted to give it so badly, in a way he hadn't even realized before he'd met him.

There wasn't anything for him to do but groan hopelessly when he felt Yuri press against his entrance. That cool slickness meant that he'd gotten lube from somewhere for himself, but he sure hadn't given any Ivan any forethought. As much as he wanted him to do it now, just to see how it would be, he knew that it couldn't be anything but unpleasant to have him inside him without any preparation.

No matter how loud he screamed, his noises meant nothing for Yuri. They probably only made him harder.

He was paused with his cock nudging against him for far too long. Maybe it was just a few seconds or even a minute, but in Ivan's head it felt like an eternity and he just wanted him to do _something_. In the quiet space of time, he heard his own quick, frightened whimpers echoing off the walls, felt like he could even hear his own heartbeat through the rushing of blood in his head.

Yuri leaned over his back then and Ivan could tell that he still had his clothes on, just like he did the night before. That had to be a fetish of his or something. Ivan kind of approved. He liked men in suits.

That wasn't what was important, though. The important thing was that Yuri was finally removing the gag and it looked like he was going to let it stay out this time. Ivan weakly rotated his jaw and then spoke as soon as he found it possible.

“Yuri-san,” he gasped, cheek to the floor, “please. Don't.”

“Hmm?” Yuri laid a palm against one of his ass cheeks after he straightened up and rubbed it firmly, bringing the stinging back to life all over again. “Don't what?”

“Don't...” _'Don't enter me like that'? 'Be gentle with me'? This isn't fanfiction, Ivan._

Even though they felt too shameful for his own ears, the words were on his lips, but he didn't get to speak them before Yuri thrust forward and drove his cock inside him. It felt like it was splitting him wide open, going too deep and filling him completely in one go. He didn't make even a sound until Yuri pulled out and thrust back in again, at which point Ivan let out his first unrestrained scream.

But there was that hand at his back, like earlier; so shockingly cool when the rest of him felt like it was on fire. “Please,” he manged to get out when he unclenched his teeth. “Please...” _What? Please what?_

“Yes?”

“It hurts.”

“I know. Is that all?”

It was absolutely pointless to argue like that against a sadist, wasn't it? Even his tears didn't convince him. He knew he was wearing a blindfold, but they'd soaked through by now, rolling down his face. Every movement of Yuri's hips made his knees ache and his ass sting and it all hurt so bad, but he was still so hard. The controlling hand on his back gave him something else to focus on, but if there was just something else Yuri would do for him... If he even just slowed down a little...

The tears on his face were just the ones he couldn't stop, brought on by his body's own traitorous response, but he felt like crying for real when Yuri's hand suddenly left him.

“Yuri-san...!”

Yuri stopped entirely, his hips stilling against Ivan's. For a second, he wondered if he had done something wrong.

This time, his hand returned and smoothed lovingly over his back and down his side, rubbing gently over Ivan's chest and stomach. It felt so different from the pain that it made his knees feel weak and threatened to make him collapse. With his other hand, Yuri held him by the hip and kept him from falling.

“Does it hurt you that badly?” he asked. “Or do you want me that badly? You're crying for real now. Which is it?”

There wasn't any use in lying or denying the truth. Ivan knew what the answer to that question was as soon as he feared the absence of Yuri's touch.

“I...” He tried to spit it out. “...I can't. It's too embarrassing.”

Another roll of Yuri's hips threatened to make his knees crumble again. His elbows and shoulders felt horribly weak and the hand Yuri had on his hip was the only thing keeping him up at this point.

“Tell me.”

“ _It's you._ ” Was that an answer? He kind of forgot the question, but whatever, now his mouth wanted to get it all out of his head. “I want you. I want you to touch me. _Please._ ” He finally let his arms give out and he sunk down onto his elbows, his face bent toward the floor. His breathing was shaky as he fought back his tears and tried to bravely face the fact that he enjoyed it.

He wanted Yuri to abuse him.

“Funny,” Yuri murmured quietly, slipping out of him. Carefully, he arranged Ivan back on the floor into a slightly more comfortable position where the top of him could lay down, his knees folded underneath him. “I didn't know you would forget so much, honestly. I think this was supposed to begin as a rape fantasy, but it turned into something rather different, didn't it?”

“You freaked me out to start with, yes. Uh...” Wow, his thoughts were really not there anymore. He tried to gesture a thumb at the blindfold. “Can I see yet?”

Yuri tugged it down for him and untied the knot at the back of his neck to pull it free. Ivan blinked and wasn't surprised to find himself in the kind of dark bondage cave that he'd expected. “There. I hope you aren't going to ask for anything else. I'm already being generous.”

“Ah... Oh. I was going to ask if you were going to do anything to... You know, _prepare me._ It hurts if you just go at it like that.”

“That is definitely the idea.” Ivan sighed loudly and tried to turn his neck around to glare at Yuri, but the effort just made his shoulders hurt. “Are you asking me to do that?”

Ivan pounded his head into the floor – not a bright move but... “Yes. I thought I was already saying that!”

“You really need to be more clear.”

_'Look who's talking!'_ he really wanted to shout right back, but then he felt Yuri's fingers returning to him, lightly rubbing cool gel around his entrance. What did they say? There was some kind of saying about how you'll want something more after you've had to endure a lot to receive it. That really seemed to fit at the moment as Ivan's back arched to try to get him to slide his fingers in deeper.

Now that he was a little more aware, it was the best time to ask. “So what was our safe-word anyway?”

Yuri curled his fingers inside him and stroked over the spot that had Ivan pressing his cheek right back into the dusty floor. “Safe-word... We didn't have one. You were gagged, remember?”

“An action then?”

“None.”

How did Yuri know how to find that so well? Why did he have to exploit it like that? It had a knee-jerk kind of reaction that turned Ivan instantly into a... Well, he imagined that he looked like a whore or one of those girls that flash peace signs in doujins when they're getting gangbanged. Five seconds away from giving a peace sign... He knew he had to snap out of it to give _that_ one a response, though. Who didn't have a safe-word?

“We didn't have _anything_ arranged? Are you sure I agreed to this?”

After Yuri's fingers were gone, he could feel him realigning his cock at his entrance. Ivan took a deep breath just in case, but the first new thrust felt considerably better than before. “Like I said before, you're really easy to manipulate... and I'm very convincing.” He gave a hard thrust that drove right into Ivan's prostate and it made Ivan wish that he had his hands free to stroke himself. “You surrendered yourself to me because you trust me.”

“That's...”

_That's so hot. What the hell!_

No wonder he wanted to be sedated first. If he were caught off guard then he wouldn't have to think about how he was going to be doing one of the most humiliating things he'd ever done. Surrendering himself to him? That sounded like something he would have never been able to follow through with without some other encouragement. He wasn't sure which of them he should thank more; Yuri for giving this to him or his self before sedation for being so clever.

“I don't know what you think, but... I think we might actually be perfect for each other somehow.”

Yuri chuckled and did something that Ivan hadn't been expecting at all. Even though he claimed to have used up all of his generosity points, Yuri reached under him and unclasped the cock ring. Having somehow gone that long without much direct attention to his cock, Yuri's palm around him almost felt like too much and it made him groan loudly. The pain elsewhere had not been forgotten in the least, but now served to bring extra intensity to every pleasurable sensation.

“You're so cute,” Yuri praised, stroking his fist over him with varying degrees of pressure. “I'll have you know that I was thinking the same thing. I haven't even had to do anything yet. You suggested all of it.”

“H-How much of it...?” he asked because seriously, he didn't remember a thing, least of all _that_ bit of information. “Did I even suggest the-” Ah, that felt... “The part where you hit my knees?”

“I've read your stories, so maybe I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was, but you really have a mind for this kind of thing.”

_So I did ask for this! Oh God, what's wrong with me..._

That hand around his cock was just getting to be way too much to handle. Combined with the fact that he knew that he was responsible for this whole situation now, he just couldn't take it. He gave himself over to the rough way Yuri stroked him and gave the last shout that his throat was going to be willing to issue and came over his fingers.

“Yuri-san...” he mumbled, his body quivering all over as he came down from his orgasm. He felt so tired then and just laid still as Yuri held his hips and pressed at his throbbing prostate. It was over-stimulation for sure, but something about the rocking motion of his hips made Ivan feel relaxed. He just moaned quietly when he felt Yuri coming inside of him.

The rope around his wrists was untied afterward and he was helped back into a sitting position where he could spread his legs out in front of himself and lay back against Yuri's chest.

“It's kind of dark down here,” he said, getting more creeped out by what could be on the floor in the dark basement now that he was able to think more clearly.

“Are you hungry?” Yuri asked.

“That has nothing to do with how dark it is, but yeah, kind of.”

With strength that Ivan didn't know Yuri was capable of, he was lifted up from the floor into his arms. “I'll go put you somewhere and then I can get you something.”

'Putting him somewhere' made him sound like a thing, but it made Ivan grin the stupidest kind of grin. He didn't have the energy to get wise with him anymore anyway, so he just closed his eyes and let his head fall onto Yuri's shoulder.

“Okay.”


	2. At the Mercy of the Court

Where the hell was the bus at anyway?

It felt like he had been standing waiting for it to come for hours (okay, maybe five minutes) and now it was starting to rain. It was that kind of rain where the sun was still partially out but there were just enough rain clouds in the sky to give him the kind of downpour that came on suddenly just for the hell of it to ruin his day. To get out of the rain, Ivan ducked back into the bus stop and thought about taking a seat on the bench. The bus really wasn't his favorite thing, though...

It was bad enough that he had to take the bus that morning to get to the courthouse. The last time when he had to ride the bus, there was a guy who stared at him and then took a seat next to him and kept breathing on him all the way until he got back home and then he still worried that he was going to stalk him after that. He didn't really have much of a choice right now, though. Somehow, he managed to forget his phone at home and if memory served, it wasn't charged anyway. It was way too far to walk, so his only other option was going back into the courthouse to use a phone in there.

His day hadn't been too fantastic so far and this was just making it worse. To start with, he had to go to the courthouse to discuss some building damages that concerned him... and he was pretty sure that he wasn't responsible for any of it. To make it worse, he didn't even get to see Yuri. He almost wished that all that property damage was his fault so that he could at least say 'hi'.

Yuri would just get mad if he came in to find him now... He was a busy person, probably. Ivan didn't want to start looking obsessed or anything, but...

The fact that a “but” even existed there was a little worrisome. He thought for sure that there was only one destiny for someone like him. Otakus like him who spent all their time browsing boards, watching anime, and writing porn were supposed to be too socially awkward to ever find romance in the real world. After he finally accepted that Antonio wasn't going to be interested in him, he was thinking that Miku-chan would be the only person he could be with.

She was real, okay? ...Realer than most other waifus when she had her own concerts. She was like something straight out of Macross Plus, except _for real_.

He'd still never give up his waifu, but now he had Yuri and he was like the personification of all of the best foeyay pornfics he'd ever read. Yuri was handsome, extremely kinky, and totally fine with all of Ivan's obsessions. Was it okay if he made Yuri one of his obsessions, too? He didn't want to seem too needy, but maybe Yuri was into that. After all, he really seemed to enjoy the attention whenever Ivan told him that he wanted him.

Nope, nope, not good – he was going to get hard right there in the bus stop if he kept thinking about him like that. But like any good obsession Ivan had, it was just so hard to keep him off his mind and the only thing that could abate his longing would be if he could be with him. Miku was one thing. It was extremely easy to open up a program.

Pining after a judge was hard.

Ivan had figured out what Yuri's hours probably were (which in itself may have been reaching into creeper territory a little bit) but it still seemed like there were a lot of times when Yuri just wasn't at home. When he wasn't at the courthouse, what the heck was he doing? There had to be something else he did to occupy his time.

Other men?

That thought was two parts distressing and about ten parts arousing and Ivan really wanted to hit himself for even liking that. He didn't even _like_ NTR... before.

Ivan got up from the bench and paced around in place for a minute, gazing out at the street as the rain poured down. He poked his head out for a minute and looked up along the tall buildings and realized, sadly, that even more rain clouds were headed in his direction. Walking wasn't an option, the bus hopefully wouldn't have to be an option, and Ivan didn't even have a watch on so there was no telling what time it was or when he should even expect it. Did they run in fifteen minute cycles, or...?

Dammit, he didn't know. Now he was just getting wet by standing out in it, but whatever, things sucked. It wasn't his fault that he was even there in the first place.

As if God could hear his pleas for something to change, or as if he just took pity on him for getting drenched, an angel appeared. Coming down the courthouse stairs was his wonderful white-haired bishonen.

“Yuri-san! My hero!” he cheered, waving his arms around. He ran around the bus stop enclosure and ran over to him and immediately dove under the black umbrella Yuri was holding. “You saved me.”

Yuri stopped, obviously confused, but kept the umbrella over the both of them. “What in God's name are you doing here? You’re soaking wet.”

Lightly, Ivan poked him in the side, disappointed that he didn’t sound more happy to see him. He was just as surprised to see him. “I just wanted to see you.”

A look passed over Yuri’s face for a second that Ivan may have missed if he blinked, but he thought it looked like... want? Yeah, it was definitely that look that he did whenever he thought Ivan did something cute. Maybe that reaction he had first was actually the Yuri version of concern. Once Ivan started thinking of it like that, he didn’t feel disappointed at all. They were both just a little weird like that.

Still, in the next second, he went back to looking unconvinced. “Sacred Seven airs around this time. You wouldn’t leave your room right now unless you absolutely had to.”

He already knew him so well. He knew how hard it was to pull Ivan away from his computer on Saturdays when Sunrise’s latest mech masterpiece was airing. After watching, he always had to attend discussion posts about it and flail with friends over how brilliant it was and then go and write fics about it. He was trying not to cut back on his Hero TV writing, but that show was really capturing his heart and inspiring him to write.

“You’re right, I wouldn’t - but my manager gave me a call this morning and told me that I had to go to the courthouse over some damages. What the heck would I be responsible for, right? I toss shurikens and transform into people with my awesome henshin abilities, but I can’t cause heavy property damage with any of that. Now I fucking missed the live stream of my show and I’ll have to wait five hours for it to go up on Hooloo.”

Yuri nodded sympathetically. “What a travesty. It was Wild Tiger, wasn’t it?”

“Probably. He’s hard to get mad at, though. I mean, unless you’re Barnaby, but even he always forgives him, no matter what he does.”

“So you’re missing a ride now, is that it?”

Ivan smiled sheepishly up at him and gently grabbed the cuff of Yuri’s sleeve between a few fingers. “Yeah... I got here on the bus and I really don’t wanna have to do that again. Who knows what kind of bad guys would wanna grope me, am I right? So yeah... If you wanna give me a ride...” He knew there was going to be a condition before Yuri even responded.

“You’ll pay me back.”

“With my body? You’re asking me to repay you in sex, right? Just making sure.” Groaning, Yuri turned and continued down the stairs, breaking out of Ivan’s light hold. Suddenly left without an umbrella over his head, Ivan ran quickly back under its cover and stared at his feet as he followed next to him. “Was that a yes?”

“We’re in public, what do you expect me to say?”

“Being in public sounds like something you would enjoy, if you know what I mean.”

Maybe he was pushing it a little. After he said that, Yuri stayed quiet and it was always hard for Ivan to tell if he was mad when he suddenly went quiet like that. Being quiet usually meant that he was trying to hold back, though. It looked like anger, but it was more like... restrained sexual frustration? It was kind of hot that he tried not to show it because it meant that he was going to go crazy if he got Ivan alone.

A sexually frustrated Yuri was the best kind - also the scariest, but Ivan was learning that he enjoyed that part of him a lot for some reason. Even if he wasn’t a NEXT, Yuri was the kind of guy who would’ve made a really hot hero with all that passion of his.

He followed Yuri around the building, quietly enjoying how romantic walking in the rain was with him. Yuri was silent, back straight, his fingers curled tightly around the handle of the umbrella, looking like a tightened wire that was ready to snap. Did he have a bad day or was it just his sudden presence that made him get like that?

Just to be sure, Ivan asked, “You aren’t mad, right? ...That I want a ride.”

Yuri looked down at him, seeming surprised. “Not at all. In fact, you said you have about five hours until you can watch your thing, right?”

“Yeah. What, you wanna do that date with me, finally? You’ve been fucking me for a couple weeks now. I think I deserve it.”

“I was thinking about it, actually,” Yuri admitted, thoroughly surprising the heck out of him. Were his ears deceiving him or did he really just say that he was considering taking him on a date? After all this time, he hadn’t even thought about where they would go or what they would do. Blue Lobster? Garlic Garden? That all sounded tacky, though. Those were places to take a girl you weren’t really serious about... from what Ivan had heard.

Yuri dug around in his coat pocket and pulled out his car key. He gave the button a press and Ivan followed the sound of the horn to a rather expensive-looking black luxury car that was parked safely in a spot farther out in the lot where nobody else dared to park around it. He probably shouldn’t have been surprised to see what a nice car Yuri owned, considering the fact that he had already visited his _mansion._ Even if Yuri were to never spend a cent on him, that would be fine for Ivan. Just knowing that he was the boyfriend (pet...?) of someone with that much cash made him feel special.

When they reached the car, Yuri stopped and looked him over.

“You expect to sit on my leather seats like that?”

Ivan made a face that he hoped would say ‘ _are you serious?_ ’ and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s fine. I’m not that wet.”

Umbrella still shading both of them, Yuri loomed over him and nearly backed him up into the car. If he leaned on it now, he definitely would get wet. The clouds had really let loose and there was rain rolling down the side of it in little waves. “I think,” Yuri started, reaching around him to open the door to the backseat, “you should get out of those wet clothes.”

This was, like, totally skipping the part where he was supposed to ask him if he wanted to get in the car for some candy and going straight to the part where he wanted him to take his pants off. Wasn’t he just saying that he thought Yuri would get a thrill out of doing things in public? If he said it out loud, then he must have incited fate to make it happen because it sure looked like things were _gonna happen_. In public. And while Ivan figure that Yuri would enjoy that (and it seemed that he was right) Ivan wasn’t so sure yet if that was something he also wanted.

He did have a habit of making him want things he didn’t know he wanted, though...

“I get the picture,” Ivan said holding up his hands in surrender. “This is how I’m repaying you for the ride and the date, isn’t it?”

That was a creepy smile. Something had to be wrong with Ivan for falling for such a face. And... Oh, whatever, he could have his way with him there. Being a judge must be hard or something, he figured. Ivan hoped that Yuri liked cheeseburgers.

He let himself be pushed into the back seat and he crawled back on his hands to let Yuri follow in front of him. Yuri shook the umbrella out the door and closed it, shrinking it down into its collapsible size to throw on the floor. Then the door was closed and they were nice and dry. Well, one of them was nice and dry anyway. Ivan was just glad to be out of the rain now.

“I'm getting water all over your seat,” he taunted.

Yuri didn't just take the bait, though. He devoured it whole.

Grabbing Ivan by the waist, he made him sink lower in the seat until he was half laying down and half sitting, his feet awkwardly raised on either side of Yuri's sides, undoubtedly dripping rainwater and probably some other terrible stuff all over his seats. Now he did feel a bit bad about that because that was the part that would really need cleaning. He doubted that his shoes were all that clean after walking outside. Something he was grateful for were the nice wide seats Yuri had in the back of his car. They were almost like a couch; wide enough for a person to lay down on without feeling like they'd fall over. He could tell it was real leather, too. It had that nice leather smell.

His belt was one thing, but when he started yanking down his pants and everything else along with it, he grabbed for Yuri's hands – and, of course, got them slapped away.

“I didn't think you were being serious about the public thing!”

“What else did you think I was going to do with you in the car...? Aside from taking you home, that is. And... wherever it was you wanted to go for the... date.”

“Well I didn't think you'd take off my pants all the way.” They were actually around his knees now, but he pulled down his shirt to cover himself up. “You know that someone could see us if they passed by your car.”

Yuri jerked a thumb at the window behind him. “They're tinted.” Ivan looked at him skeptically. “Fifty percent.” What was he doing that he felt he needed to have dark windows? That's it. Yuri was secretly a drug dealer. Or something. “That was kind of the idea anyway – for people to see, that is. Sex in public is called that for a literal reason, you know.”

“I didn't think it was _that_ literal!”

“We're in a private parking lot, in the rain, in my car with tinted windows. You may as well imagine that you're in my room.” He ran a hand through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You're taking the fun out of this.”

Somehow, he was managing to make him feel bad about being nervous to do it out in the open where everyone could see them. But if people who did it in public had a reason for liking it, then maybe he'd figure it out if they did it. He doubted that it would be as easy for him to imagine himself in his room like Yuri suggested, but if Yuri was above him then nobody would really see anything anyway.

Feeling more resolute about it, Ivan pulled off his jacket and threw it into the passenger seat, then did the same with Yuri's suit jacket. He loosened his tie for him and then he tugged his own shirt off over his head and threw it next to the rest of the clothes. Yuri watched silently, grinning in an amused way, as Ivan pulled off his boots and then slid his pants the rest of the way off his legs.

“I didn't think you were going to go all out. I would have let you keep your shirt on.”

“How considerate of you.” Smart words coming from the guy who wished he had left his shirt on now. “May as well go all the way, you know?”

Yuri hummed appreciatively and ran his hands over Ivan's sides. Even that one touch made a bolt of desire go straight to his cock. Yuri had this way of looking at him like he was looking at something delicious, like he wanted to eat him up. Ivan hadn't previously thought of himself as someone desirable, so to be held in the gaze of someone who so obviously wanted him was a major turn-on.

He beckoned him forward and Ivan put his arms around his neck, not knowing what to expect, but then Yuri lifted him right up into his lap. Ivan's knees splayed out around his waist and he ended up sitting right in his lap, his cock pressing against the front of Yuri's pants. He really hoped that they weren't going to mess up his clothes, otherwise they weren't going to be going anywhere after this. It would be Yuri's fault for never wanting to take off his clothes. So far, Ivan couldn't remember a time when he had seen him completely naked. He had seen just about every part of him so far, but... separately. He could piece together what he must look like completely naked in his mind, but he really wished he could have the whole thing at once sometime.

Being the only one naked was intimidating in a way, especially in this kind of situation where other people could walk by and see them. _Especially_ now that his ass was on display for the window behind him. Perhaps that was the idea, though. It wasn't just a fetish, it was a thing about power.

“You're...”

“Hm?” Yuri casually raised an eyebrow as he wrapped his fingers around Ivan and slowly started stroking him. His thoughts cut off for a second.

“Uh... Oh yeah. I was going to say that you're really sexy.” It was criminal for him to look that surprised by what he said. “What? I mean it.”

“I'd fuck you right here for saying so, but that would make us both uncomfortable.”

Always thinking of himself... That was fine. At least one of them could think because whenever Yuri started touching him like that, it got a lot harder to keep the thoughts in his head straight. They all got jumbled until his train of thought was totally derailed and he gave in and started rocking himself forward into his hand, trying to get more.

Yuri stopped him with a hand on his hip, though. He pressed his head into his shoulder and clawed at the front of his shirt, growling weakly when he took his hand away. Then, he started unbuttoning his shirt. Ivan knew better than to get his hopes up about him taking his clothes off all the way, though. He unbuttoned from the bottom up just far enough to expose some of his stomach and then loosened his pants and pulled himself free.

Ah, so that was how he planned to keep his clothes on without making a mess. _Clever._

“Okay, you take over from here.”

“Huh.” Ivan stared at him, instantly perplexed. “But you were the one... Since when am I in control here?”

“You aren't, obviously. I'm telling you to do it, aren't I?”

Ivan's cock twitched and he tried not to moan too loudly. The illusion of power? Was that what this was? There was that thing about him making him like things he didn't know he wanted again. Still, it was frightening to think what Yuri might do if he did something wrong. He hadn't done anything overtly violent before and he always took good care of him during and after something taxing, so he probably didn't have anything to worry about. There was just something... unrestrained about him, though.

“Ivan.”

_Don't you fucking come, Ivan. Hold it together, he only said your name._

Wait, what was he supposed to do now exactly? Suddenly, he was confronted with the realization that he had never actually touched Yuri outside of that one time where he made him put his hand on his dick just to show him that he could. He knew how nervous it made him to take control and he was using that in some weird reverse psychology kind of way or something. That had to be it.

That had to be it. He wasn't helping at all, just sitting there. Watching him and waiting him to do it. And he looked so hard too, like watching him struggle with this internally was what got him off.

“Y-You bastard...”

“Mmhm.”

'Taking over from there' could have meant anything, but Ivan was determined to do something that could benefit both of them, even if he suspected that Yuri wanted all the attention to himself. Steadying his hands, trying to keep the nerves out of them, he held Yuri's cock and moved his hips forward so he could hold both of them in the same hand. It actually wasn't too hard to maintain that kind of position and he had enough leverage to keep thrusting into his hand as he held them together. Fantastic friction was created between the way he rubbed up against the underside of Yuri's cock and with the way he passed his hand over them.

Breaking him out of his happy place, Yuri gave an impatient breath through his nose and added his own hand next to Ivan's.

“D-Did I do something wrong?” he asked, unsure of whether he should even ask.

Yuri shook his head and in an uncharacteristically tender move, hoisted Ivan up closer until they were practically embracing chest to chest. With his naked chest pressed to Yuri's, he feared that he'd be able to feel the way that his heart was beating too rapidly. At once, his knees started quivering, but whether it was from fearing that he'd be embarrassed or from the way Yuri was touching them was unclear to him. Maybe it was time to give up and just admit that he wanted this badly.

When Yuri started helping, he lost his focus and suddenly the fact that he was sitting in a car with windows that, tinted or not, people could _see into_ kind of freaked him out. It freaked him out in this way that made him even harder and made his pulse race, like his body was screaming _go, go, don't let anyone catch you_ but that was kind of thrilling in a way that he didn't want to stop.

He just pressed his forehead into the crook of Yuri's neck and whimpered as he helped him quicken the pace.

How did he manage to seem so calm? He was obviously just as hard and he could feel that he was dripping just as much. Being his idea in the first place, it made sense that he would be that into it, but it was crazy how he could keep that stoic l-

Oh.

He was quiet, but-

When Ivan pulled back and looked at him from under his heavy, lowered eyelids, Yuri had on a similar expression. It was more restrained, but if he had a few more minutes, Ivan knew what kind of expression it would be. It was the face he didn't want him to see; the one he hid Ivan's eyes behind a blindfold for. There was sweat on his brow and his chest rose and fell against Ivan's with practiced, steady breaths. His other hand that came around from behind and held Ivan's opposite hip was what gave him away. His fingers were way too tense.

Coming wasn't what would undo him. Punishing him was what would do it.

That wasn't going to happen right now, but now Ivan had a goal. He wanted to see Yuri completely unrestrained. He wanted to receive all of that furious passion.

“Yuri,” he muttered softly. “Please.” Even if he had his own hand right there, Yuri was still keeping him right out of reach of what he wanted.

Growling, Yuri pushed him back onto the seats. Ivan's limbs sprawled out in all kinds of directions as a result, but Yuri kept the contact with their hips, only slightly readjusting his hands around their cocks to get them back into the right position. With every little jerk and thrust, Ivan felt himself bumping Yuri's stomach now and the sudden direct contact to the head of his cock was making his vision blur.

“Tell me what you want,” Yuri demanded, letting go.

Ivan cried out loudly and instantly, his hands flew up to his mouth as if he could take back the sound that just came from him. The look in his eyes should have been answer enough, but he knew that he wouldn't get anywhere unless he told Yuri exactly. They had already gone down this road before and Ivan knew that it was just a dead end without a direct, forward response.

That didn't mean that it ever got easier to say.

“Please, I...”

“Hm?”

_How does he do this? How is he so in control? God, I..._

“Just a little more, please. I'm so close. I...” _Say it, come on. Let him hear it. He wants to hear it as much as you want to come._ “I want to come so bad. Please, let me come.”

Yuri's lips brushed over his cheek and he lightly kissed his ear before whispering, “Good boy.”

That was about all it took to make him come. He expected it to take a little more than that, like some special flick of his wrist or something, but hearing him call him _that_ made his hips jerk up. He came into Yuri's hand and, even hotter still, he watched Yuri use his cum to jerk himself off.

As Ivan laid back, Yuri's cum drying on his stomach, he felt like maybe he shouldn't have watched that. It was going to be his masturbation fuel for a long time to come, but now he wondered if he would ever see something that erotic ever again.

_He... With my..._

“Keep your shirt off for a minute and let that dry there,” Yuri said, gesturing at the cum on his stomach. He procured a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit jacket and wiped off his own hands, then cleaned up Ivan and tossed him his pants. “These aren't that wet anymore, so I don't mind if you put them back on.”

He probably never minded. He obviously just wanted him to take his pants off.

Once he had his shirt tucked back in neatly, Yuri folded his jacket, slung it over the back of his seat, opened the door, and quickly ran around the back of the car to get into the driver's seat. Noticing that Ivan planned to jump over the armrest in the middle, he pushed him back and pointed to the door. “Get out of the car like a normal person first. And put your pants on.”

“Yeah, yeah. You don't have to tell me to do that part.” He shoved his feet into each leg and rolled into a good sitting position, then scooted over to the passenger side so he could run out and get into the front with him. Once he got up there, sitting in his pants that felt a little cold from the dampness, he reached for his shirt and then stopped when he remembered Yuri's order for him. “Were you serious about the drying part? Isn't that kind of...”

Ivan wouldn't fault him for his unique fetishes. The look he received told him not to question it. So instead, he left his shirt sitting in his lap.

“We'll go wherever you want now,” Yuri said, voice all calm and business-like, as if they hadn't just done that in the backseat. “Just make up your mind quickly so I know where I should pull out.”

Ivan grinned from ear to ear. He already had this planned. “I hope you like cheeseburgers. 'Cause we're going to Over-N-Out Burger.”

Breaking out of his stern look, Yuri sighed heavily, letting his arms rest over the steering wheel as he hung his head between. “Okay,” he said, conceding, putting his hands on the wheel. It felt pretty good to 'win' something from him like this. “Burgers.”

_Yes_ , silent victory.

The drive there was slow as they worked their way through the traffic in the rain. The streets were somewhat flooded and there were a lot of people who apparently forgot how to drive while it was raining. At times, Ivan feared for Yuri's nice car. At the least, it was going to deserve a good wash soon. He looked over at Yuri while they drove and tried not to imagine that he was thinking about making him wear a school mizugi to wash his car. That sounded like something he would want him to do.

About halfway there, Ivan asked him if he liked burgers and Yuri was careful to give neither a “yes” or “no” answer. He didn’t ask him for any further details on that in fear that he’d stop the car and make them go some place else.

Before they got there, Ivan pulled his shirt back on over his head and left the jacket off. The cum on his stomach felt... stiff - or, like, tacky. It wasn’t a very pleasant feeling, but he was certainly aware of it every time he bent his waist, so he guessed that that was the point.

Over-N-Out Burger was like... It was like Heaven.

They stepped out of the car and there it was. Totally out of the rain, sunny as ever. The weather was perfect. He didn't even know what happened, but he thanked the gods that they had decided to spare his date from the downpour.

Oh right, this was a date.

He was going to order the most disgusting burger possible. It was what he wanted, but imagining the reaction he could pull out of Yuri with a towering burger was more than entertaining.

He gleefully burst throw the door, Yuri in tow, and strode over to the line, then paused mid-step when he realized... he didn't have any money. Looking over his shoulder, he gave Yuri an innocent face. “Uh. I don't... have any...”

“I've got it.” Undoubtedly, he was going to owe him again in this never-ending cycle of owing Yuri things. Whatever, he enjoyed it, too.

When they got up to front of the line, Yuri smoothly ordered himself a regular cheeseburger. Plain as could be. Ivan got the 4 x 4, ridiculously huge, _meat on meat_ burger that stood at least four inches tall. His mouth was going around all of that. He didn't care if he had to unhinge his jaw and breath through his nose to do it.

They probably looked like a unique pair. Actually, Ivan realized that he probably looked like he was out with his big brother. ...Though that would be a roleplay for another day. For now, he slid his hand into Yuri’s, amused by the way his eyes widened, and led him outside with their bag of food in his other hand. The plan was for them to sit outside underneath one of those cute umbrella-covered tables. Sitting outside at Over-N-Out to enjoy his burger was something that Ivan always wanted to try, but it wasn’t the same if he did it all alone. Now he had Yuri, so this was like a life goal come true.

Despite the umbrellas over the tables, the seats still got a little wet with the rain, so Ivan pulled some of their napkins out of the bag and wiped the rain water off of them before they sat down. Yuri eyed his seat wearily as if he were afraid of getting the seat of his pants wet, but eventually hesitantly took a seat. Being a gentleman, Ivan took out his burger for him and placed the large fries they got between them in the center of their table. He didn’t mention it when he ordered, but the large fries were for them to share. Yuri wouldn’t mind sharing, right? Ivan didn’t need to eat a whole large fry by himself when he ordered the equivalent of four cheeseburgers in one.

“This is glorious,” he moaned as he pulled back the wrapper on his sandwich. ...If the thing could reasonably be called a sandwich. With four thick pieces of meat, it looked more like meat that just happened to have cheese and a bun on it. The first time he sunk his teeth into it, tomato and ketchup went rolling down his chin and though he tried to catch it with his tongue, it was a losing effort.

Yuri watched with mild horror and seemed to do his best to ignore Ivan as he unwrapped his own. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” he said.

“I am, thank you. I really am.” An unstoppable grin was definitely going from one ear to the other. He could feel it. Great cheeseburger, Yuri in an out of character situation - it couldn’t get any better than that.

Whatever self-control Yuri had disappeared then, apparently. He grabbed one of the napkins and took Ivan’s chin in his other hand and wiped the ketchup off his chin. “You sure know how to make a mess of yourself,” he said, but he looked so pleased about it for some reason. The way he looked at him made Ivan find it hard to swallow his food because his heart grew so big that it exploded.

Even if he still couldn’t tell whether Yuri liked cheeseburgers or not, he could tell that he liked watching Ivan eat them.

“I had the impression that you didn’t like burgers after we talked about it in the car.”

Yuri put an elbow on the table and leaned his cheek into his palm and stared at him musingly. “I don’t really. They’re greasy and they do terrible things to my skin. However, if you want mine, you’re very welcome to have it.”

“You just like watching me eat, you pervert.”

“You eat cutely, what can I say.”

Ivan sighed with a roll of his eyes and pushed the pack of fries toward him. Greasy or not, he’d feel bad if Yuri didn’t eat because of him. “Go on. You should eat something.”

“I have more than enough to feast on right in front of me,” he said, leering. That was the only descriptor for that... that face. Ivan felt like hiding himself and offering his body right there at the same time. Yuri really knew how to make a guy feel conflicting feelings.

He could have gone on about what a pervert he was, but then he remembered something he had been meaning to ask him. On a related note, he was still wondering what Yuri did with his free time (Hopefully not other guys.) but he was also dying to know more about what he was into aside from his job and sex. Perhaps BDSM could be a 'hobby' of sorts sometimes with all the complicated techniques and devices involved once you got into the type that Yuri was into, but there had to be more than that. (And he still didn't believe that Yuri spent that much time playing Fancy Sailor. That would be... unbelievable. Or just plain unlikely. Or out of character. But maybe...)

“By the way,” he started, just deciding to lay something out there to get the conversation going, “I was wondering what other kinds of things you're into. Like, if we're going to be doing... whatever it is that we do, then I want to know more about you.” He physically picked up a fry this time for Yuri, which he reluctantly accepted and ate. “Like for instance, why are you into Lunatic.”

“I like his costume.”

...That was all? “Oh. Really? I thought that being a fan of Lunatic would mean something a lot deeper to you. He's a very controversial figure, you know. He's already given me and the other heroes a lot of problems and he nearly killed a friend of mine. I won't deny that there's something cool about him. I can see the appeal because other people obviously like him too, but I feel like approving of Lunatic is sort of like approving of the death penalt-”

_...huh?_

Why did his cheek sting?

Did he just slap him?

For what?

He explained: “Do you think that's any kind of conversation for a date? I'm sure you don't want to listen to me talk about something like that while you eat.” Yuri leaned back in his chair and rolled up his sleeves, slowly exposing a precious bit of milky white forearm. His face looked a little red. “I swear if I have to discipline you in front of everyone, I will.”

Ivan breathed a shaky sigh and held a hand up to touch his stinging cheek while he loosely held his burger in the other.

The smile he had was likely unhealthy.

If he kept asking, he wondered if Yuri would do that again.


	3. Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

“Anyone. Seriously.”

Yuri had heard it before, the long and desperate explanation of the capabilities and creative uses for Ivan’s power. For someone normally very reserved, he seemed pretty into the idea of using his shape-shifting to please Yuri. There was this thing about that ability though: Yuri liked Ivan. When he found the original so beautiful, it was hard to believe he would ever want him to look like anyone else. Ivan was fine as just Ivan.

But he just continued to insist, determined to please him and give him his attention for a change. He named just about every other hero, even the female ones, but Yuri still refused. It wasn’t the first time he had made the offer and it wasn’t the first time Yuri turned him down. Normally, Ivan would give up after a while and agree to whatever he wanted to do, but this time he seemed to be particularly determined and it didn’t seem like he was going to back down until he at least got Yuri to consider.

“No,” he repeated, winding the thin end of the whip he was holding between his fingers. “There isn’t anyone I can think of who I would want more than you.”

“I...” he was obviously absorbing what he had just told him, suddenly looking abashed. “Th-thank you, but...” Ivan squinted and brought his knees up to his chest as he sat on the bed. He was still fully clothed, but Yuri planned to remedy that as soon as Ivan gave up on trying to make this happen. It didn’t look like he was ready to throw in the towel just yet, though. “You,” he said slowly, curiously. “What if I transformed into you?”

Well that was a unique thought, he had to admit. Having never even known that such a thing as creating his own doppelganger would be possible, he had never had a reason to even consider what sex would be like with himself. If nothing else, it would be incredibly interesting, but for all his attitude and smirks, Yuri didn’t exactly find himself attractive. The kind of guy he usually liked was big, muscular. It felt like an accomplishment, every time, getting a guy like that on his knees. Ivan was more similar to his own shape, but Ivan was more like... a precious trophy. He was his anomaly; a rarity. There was so much that was appealing about him, even the fact that he was a hero.

But Yuri really didn’t need to use his power.

“Come on,” Ivan said, swinging his feet off the bed, standing. “I’ll show you what it’s like first and then you can make me stop if you don’t actually like it. I just... wanna give it a try for you.”

He could tell that it was taking all of Ivan’s guts to even make the offer. It would be cruel to deny him when it was becoming clear how much it meant to him to pay him back - the kind of cruel that Yuri didn’t like.

He put his hand on top of Ivan’s head and gently ran it down to the back of his neck where he stroked his fingers through the soft hair there. Ivan made a happy sound at the back of his throat and nudged himself closer into his hand, tilting his head to get him to pet him more. He didn’t have to kiss him or hold him. Any little touch was enough for Ivan. It was a small gesture, but taking pleasure in something so small was actually a lot. It was no wonder he wanted to pay him back, but Yuri wished he could see that he didn’t need anything else.

He already had Ivan. There was more to want here?

“Alright,” Yuri finally gave in, “but you’re doing everything the way I say.”

Ivan nodded emphatically. “Of course.”

Just like that, Ivan activated his power and he was surrounded by its familiar blue light. When the light faded, he was left standing in front of Yuri as an exactly copy of him. It was striking and strange, like looking in a mirror that could move independently from him, like he was watching a recording. Was that really what he looked like?

God, he was so thin. And pale. And he looked like he needed sleep.

“Bad...?” Ivan asked, noticing the way he was staring at him. “Did I do something wrong? I’ve got everything down, right?”

Yes, for the most part. He was even matching his voice perfectly, which felt even stranger to hear coming from someone else. There was a very fundamental difference, though. Ivan wasn’t doing anything about his personality.

“You need to act more like me.”

“Okay.” He nodded firmly and then stood up straighter, squaring his shoulders. “I will do my best to sound like Yuri Petrov.”

That was sounding better already. Now here was where things were really going to get interesting. What was Ivan expecting him to do now? He didn’t feel all that adoring of himself, but it wouldn’t feel right to do anything to punish someone who looked like him. Yuri didn’t submit to anyone, but... If the person he was submitting to “was him” then he wouldn’t mind trying it. He wasn’t sure why the opposite felt so different. Hitting himself would feel odd. Being dominated by himself felt... okay.

Ivan hadn’t even suggested any of that, silently waiting there for Yuri to be the one to make the call on what they would do. How long could Ivan’s powers last for anyway? The information he had on him on file wasn’t coming to mind. Looked like he was about to find out.

“I’ll be on bottom.”

Ivan’s eyes widened and Yuri was sure he had never made a face like that before that so openly read ‘ _what the hell?_ ’ He was sure he concealed what he was thinking better than that. For that, he wiped the look of Ivan’s face with a swift slap to the cheek. In an instant, it was replaced with innocent shock and red blossomed on his face in more than just the place where Yuri had struck.

“Alright,” he said, bouncing back quickly, resuming his act as ‘Yuri’. “Get on the bed.”

Yuri didn’t feel very inclined to obey when it was obvious that it was just an act and not a genuine attitude. But at least Ivan was trying and he really wanted to humor him this time. The second he sat on the bed, though, he realized that this meant that Ivan would have to undress him. Was there a way to bottom without having to do that?

This wasn’t any time to be getting nervous for himself, though. He was the one who was supposed to be in control. Even if he was letting Ivan hold the reigns on this one, he was still the one who had to pull the cart, so to speak. It wouldn’t matter too much if it was just Ivan.

Poor Ivan looked like he was ready to have a minor heart attack or pass out, though. When Yuri got on the bed as he instructed, sitting up against the headboard, Ivan followed, looking as timid as he possibly could - which was made more disconcerting by the fact that he had Yuri’s face. He watched him with his eyes narrowed, scrutinizing ‘his own’ appearance. Good Lord, did he always look that squeamish when he got nervous? It made him look so undignified.

“Stop looking like that.”

Ivan rubbed his neck and moved to straddle his waist. “Sorry... I’ll try to do you better.” That didn’t sound right, so he corrected himself. “I mean - I’ll be a better you! Uh, not better than you, but... You know what I mean.”

He may have had Yuri’s face, but it was quite obvious who was underneath. His nervousness wasn’t doing much to help the bit of nerves Yuri had about this role swap, but he could never say no to Ivan’s cuteness.

“Just calm down. If you just try to act more confident then you’ll feel more confident. Don’t think of it as an act. Think of yourself as me right now.”

“Got it!” Did he really?

Maybe he did.

His eyes darkened and he looked down at him as if he were looking at something delici- he did that look, didn’t he? There was a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth and his eyes narrowed into sly slits. Yuri knew; that was the way he looked at Ivan. This time, this face didn’t look forced or put-on at all, either.

Ivan put a palm on his chest; claiming, reassuring, asserting. With the other, he ran his fingers down Yuri’s jaw and down his neck, trailing them down to the top button on his dress shirt. Yuri couldn’t recall the last time he had to suddenly take a breath like that to steady his heart. Ivan did things to him normally, drove him insane even, yes, but that confident touch literally stole his breath.

About then, he realized that he wasn’t seeing him as himself. He was still seeing through the disguise to the Ivan who was doing his best to be confident for him. He could lie to him all he wanted if he dared to ask about it later, but Yuri knew it would be pointless to lie to himself now. Bottoming for Ivan was still _bottoming for Ivan,_ no matter what he looked like at the time.

Getting his clothes off was going to be an experience, Yuri had the feeling. Ivan was surprisingly good at maintaining the seriousness once he had it, though. Yuri tried hard not to let on at all to how strange he felt being in this position and he had himself almost completely under control in his head once Ivan finally pulled his last sock off.

He wasn’t sure why Ivan felt the need to undress him so completely, but then again, Yuri did that for him, so maybe that was a part of ‘being Yuri Petrov’ in this situation. Even the socks had to go, apparently. Between the almost lecherous way Ivan was staring at him and the unfamiliar feeling of being totally unclothed in front of someone, Yuri found himself embarrassingly hard.

He really hoped that Ivan wasn’t going to keep staring. That smile of his was starting to turn back into its Ivan-ish grin, which made Yuri feel like storming right off the bed to put his clothes back on and grab his whip, but... They got this far. He owed it to himself, or to Ivan who was probably still suffering from a well-hidden panic attack.

For a second, Ivan looked a little lost until he realized that the next step probably involved preparing him.

Yuri was going to die.

He was still Yuri in this situation. There was nothing here to say that he had to lay there and be a girl about it like Ivan. So grabbing Ivan’s wrist, he stopped him and leaned over to open his drawer and got the lubricant for himself. Yuri Petrov 2 sat back and watched him with wide-eyed fascination as he lubed his own fingers and started fingering and stretching himself without any sense of pretense. When Ivan moved closer, he slapped his hand away and glared.

“Don’t be gentle with me,” he said. He hadn’t wasted much time on himself and decided that it would be enough. After all, he still had no idea how long Ivan’s power was going to last. The only way to make this more awkward would be if...

No, he wasn’t going to consider that.

Yuri sat up a little and dragged his double forward more by the hips. Ivan fell forward cutely on top of him, his arms on either side of him and Yuri got to have a nice close look at the way his own face looked with a dumb grin on it. 

“I wonder why I haven’t tried to transform into you before,” Ivan said suddenly. “It wouldn’t be the same as having you like this, but I could admire Yuri-san whenever I wanted that way. I won’t ever have a double of myself, though. I’m kind of jealous.”

He had to physically force himself not to say _”Don’t be.”_ Instead, he explained, “It’s actually kind of strange. I’m starting to think there should only be one of me for a reason.”

Ivan yelped, startled, as Yuri reached down and grabbed his cock through his pants. He felt along the outline with his thumb and snickered in amusement when he realized that his face wasn’t the only thing Ivan had perfectly imitated. He was bigger than Ivan, but not by so much to make him worry for himself. While ‘strange’ was certainly one of the adjectives for this night, ‘amusing’ was also ranking high when he realized that he was going to get fucked by his own cock.

Yuri knew that when he left his clothes on during sex, he had that kind of... look to him. That sex-tousled-but-still-in-control kind of look. His version was, as far as he knew, sexy. On Ivan’s version of him, he just looked rumpled in a cute way, like he was afraid to get out of his clothes. He just laughed as his fingers worked on unbuttoning his pants and Ivan kept whining and sputtering, demanding to know what was funny.

“Nothing.” He stroked his cock a few times slowly, admiring it from this unique third-person perspective. Not that he hadn’t jerked off in front of a mirror before, but doing it... for ‘himself’? Weird and kind of satisfying. “To be honest, I’m starting to think that this is my favorite part of me. You love my cock, don’t you, Ivan?” He looked up then just to watch the way he made Ivan slowly take a breath. “Hm?” He teased his fingertip around the head.

“A-Ah... Yes.”

Yuri’s other hand cupped Ivan’s jaw and brought him lower to lightly bite his cheek, just gently capturing a little bit of skin between his teeth while his hand still worked to make Ivan even harder. “Hm? I didn’t hear you. Please repeat that more clearly.”

“Yes,” he murmured, then more boldly, he tried again while looking Yuri in the eyes. “I love your cock.”

“I’m sure you love it more than anyone, so,” he said, parting his knees and guiding Ivan forward, “I want you to show me how good it is. Show me how good your master’s cock feels.”

He had been wanting to say something like that for a while. It thrilled him to use the word ‘master’ on him and Ivan just soaked it up by now, looking like he went totally weak for it. He didn’t bother adding any more lubricant now; he wanted a little bit of roughness.

“Are you su-” Ivan stopped. Good.

Yuri was over it now. Even if Ivan was being really anxious about it, that just made him somehow seem more erotic in this role. Wrapping his legs around his waist, he pulled him closer and as soon as the head of Ivan’s cock pressed against his entrance, it was like he melted and went into full Ivan-mode.

“Your character’s slipping,” Yuri reprimanded. It was hard to punish him from this position. He’d figure it out sooner or later, though. “I’m going to fuck you so hard after this.”

Clearly, Ivan didn’t know whether he should take that as a good or bad thing, just looking really flustered in response. “I’ll do my best.” His best was so bad but it was so hard to resist how cute it was at the same time.

His first thrust showed just how inexperienced he was like Yuri thought. “Not like that,” he growled, grabbing his hips. “You have to be more forceful. I want you to _fuck me._ Give me everything I give you.”

He really didn’t want to intimidate him so bad that he couldn’t even function, but thankfully, that seemed to work like encouragement. In the same way that Ivan got invigorated before when he tried to act like him before, he started to channel how Yuri was when he was on top. He grabbed the hands that Yuri had on his hips and firmly pressed them down into the bed at his sides. He repositioned himself and with one hard thrust, pressed himself inside.

It wasn’t a good angle. Even as Ivan picked up the pace and brought their hips together with more force, Yuri could still tell that this was a first for him. Yuri enjoyed the rawness that each thrust brought, but what he loved the most was that look of determination on Ivan’s face. His breathing was already getting harder and when he started to slow down, he knew that he was almost ready to come, but Yuri knew that he was still far from his limit. Ivan could handle more than that.

“Ivan.”

He didn’t seem to be listening, though. Ivan was off in his own world right then, his teeth gritted in concentration as he focused as hard as he could on not letting go. His hips were starting to shudder, his elbows starting to wobble and grow weak from the effort of holding himself over him. Each breath he took was short and quick and Yuri called his name about five more times before Ivan finally looked up, at which point it was just too late. When their eyes made contact, Ivan lost it, pushing in deep and coming hard.

He came. Inside Yuri.

And the most peculiar thing happened. Apparently, Ivan’s powers did last some indefinite amount of time, but hitting orgasm made them stop working.

Instead of the slow, relaxing breaths he usually took when he came back down, Ivan’s breathing stuttered until he held his breath entirely, as if he just shut down. The Ivan above him now wasn’t the cheap imitation Yuri Petrov, but the weak-kneed,timid Ivan that Yuri was most familiar with. Immediately, as he easily predicted, he started apologizing profusely.

“I-I’m so sorry, Yuri-san. I didn’t _mean to._ I couldn’t help it, I don’t know where my head was, I-”

He grabbed his shoulders, digging his fingers into him through his jacket, giving him a silent, firm warning. Ivan pulled out with a whimper and backed away as quickly as he could, immediately prostrating himself with his forehead to the bed. It sounded like his shaky breaths were five seconds away from turning into big, fat tears, and although Yuri loved hearing him crying while he begged, this was not going to be the kind he liked.

“Ivan,” he said, getting up onto his knees, his eye twitching as he felt cum roll down his thigh. “Stop that.”

“I’m so s-”

Yuri took a fistful of his hair and pulled him back up to look at him, then grabbed him by the chin; always the surefire way to make him stop talking, which he did. He actually wasn’t very mad just yet. A small part of him felt horribly offended by what he did for some reason, but it was more his pride that was left stinging. It was hard to get mad at Ivan, but he really thought that he had trained him better than that.

“You ignored me. That’s what I’m mad about.” If a pet didn’t know what it did wrong, then it would just continue to make the same mistakes. “Tell me why you weren’t listening.”

“I...” Ivan’s lip quivered and he tried to avert his eyes away from him, but when he did so, Yuri tapped his fingers against his cheek; the sign that said to obey or be slapped. He would probably enjoy that, though, the little slut... “It felt so good, I couldn’t help myself.”

Letting go of him, Yuri swung his legs over the side of the bed and laughed slowly as he bent to start picking up his clothes. “It felt good? And who was this supposed to be about?”

He kept his back to him and listened as he continued to find his clothes and redress himself. “You. It... was supposed to be about you. I’m sorry, I know I messed it up.”

“Ivan, strip for me.”

“Uh...” At least he knew better than to question him. “Alright.”

“Wait.” Yuri held up a hand and turned around to make sure that he got to see every second of this. “Okay, now do it slowly,” he said, buttoning his cuffs. It was worthless to put the tie back on when he would probably take if back off soon enough anyway, so he left it on the floor next to his socks which he also didn’t mind forgetting about.

Ivan’s worries seemed to fade away gradually with each piece of clothing he removed. First, slowly, his jacket was slid down, revealing his smooth, pale arms. Then came his shirt, which was pulled over his head so Yuri could watch the way the muscles of his stomach pulled and stretched tightly over his ribcage. While he had seemed so immediately intimidated by Yuri’s initial reaction, it looked like he was starting to grow bolder the more he fulfilled his punishment.

“Remember when I said I was going to fuck you, Ivan?” Ivan stopped, trying to keep his balance while he stood, working off one of his boots. “Keep going. I’m just reminding you.”

He kept going as ordered, tossing his his shoes to the floor along with his socks. There was a bit of hesitation when his hands found the waist of his pants, which prompted Yuri to take over. It was nice watching Ivan, but that last little bit would be like untying the bow on top of a present. Stepping forward to him, he lightly put his fingers onto his chest, pushing him back down onto the bed so he could take them off for him himself.

“W-Well this situation sure changed...” Ivan mumbled, quieting when Ivan glared up at him. “Sor- Yeah, whatever. Have at me, I’m all yours.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he said, ignoring Ivan’s arousal, passing his hands over his chest instead. “I wonder what would be more obvious...?” he mused out loud. While Ivan gave him a clearly confused raise of his eyebrows, Yuri leaned himself over him on the bed and took a nice hard bite on his neck.

Ivan howled in surprise and his hands flew to protect the aching spot, but Yuri grabbed them and forced them to his sides. “You said that you were all mine. I’m just making sure that everyone else knows it as well. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

‘No’ was the correct answer and Ivan just whimpered and stayed silent. That was close enough.

He was doing a lot of squirming on the bed, so while Yuri occupied his lips and teeth with the tender skin of Ivan’s collarbone, he held him down by the waist to keep him from moving around. His hands twitched at his sides, knowing that it was best not to make any moves for himself unless otherwise instructed.

“Everyone will see them if you put them there, though... I don’t even have any scarves, how am I supposed to cover something like that up? With makeup?”

“That’s the point. I don’t want you to hide it.” With Ivan’s preference for low-necked shirts, there was no way he would be able to hide the bruises he was going to leave for him. Everyone would be getting a very suspicious look at what they would be forced to assume was Ivan’s ‘private life’. There was really nothing more delicious than Ivan’s embarrassment.

Once he had sufficiently marked up his neck, leaving reddening marks all over, he decided it was probably time to get him out of his pants. It was too mean to leave him in them when he knew how tight they were probably starting to feel.

Yuri grinned.

With deceptive gentleness, he slid down Ivan’s pants and helped him out of each leg until he was left completely naked beneath him. Every part of him looked flushed and heated, completely ready to be had by him. Even though he already came once already, his cock was up and hard as ever, looking like he was good for another round. But round two was going to be a lot different than the first, Yuri decided - or somewhat the same, just... He wanted to turn the tables.

“Alright,” Yuri said, calmly stepping off the bed. “I want you to suck my cock.”

Ivan’s mind wasn’t good at handling his forwardness sometimes, proof enough in the fact that Ivan could hardly bring himself to say such things. He looked at him incredulously and then sat up, curling his fists into the sheets. “So... _What?_ You just laid on top of me and you’re not going to fuck me now?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to, did I?” He was going to still for sure. He was just getting to that part in the most roundabout way possible. What fun was there if he wasn’t a little misleading?

“But...” Ivan held a hand to his lips, contemplating this command. He hadn’t ever had Ivan suck his cock yet and he was pretty damn sure that Ivan hadn’t ever sucked _anyone’s_ , which meant that this was a definite first. It was no wonder that he looked nervous. He would restrain him and make him do it if he had to, though.

“Ivan. On the floor.” He pointed to the spot in front of himself and Ivan jumped slightly, but didn’t seem quite ready to leave his spot on the bed. “Ivan,” he repeated, a little stronger, grabbing him by the back of the neck to pull him forward.

Ivan whimpered and his lips twitched. He nodded and tried to look adamant about it, but it was obvious that he didn’t want to let him hear the way his voice would shake if he spoke. It never stopped being completely easy to read Ivan’s reactions. Ivan got down off the bed slowly and got down on his knees in front of him, placing both hands on Yuri’s hips. He looked up and Yuri placed a hand at the back of his head, the only encouragement he was willing to offer him for right now.

He had the feeling that once he got started, Ivan was going to be the type who loved sucking cock. He could feel himself getting harder just at the thought of him begging to let him suck him in the future and it just made him want him to do it even more. This really wasn’t anything Ivan couldn’t handle and it seemed that he was starting to understand that, silently forming his resolve as he worked at once again at the front of Yuri’s pants.

Tentatively, Ivan leaned forward to give the tip of his cock a taste. When he apparently discovered that it wasn’t so bad, he wrapped his lips around the head of his cock and rolled over it with the flat of his tongue. While he had zero experience with it yet, Yuri imagined that reading fanfiction was the closest thing that Ivan had to the instruction manual to it and... he wasn’t bad.

In fact, the more he took into his mouth, the more Yuri was getting convinced that he was actually _really good_ at it already.

After a minute, he realized that Ivan was enjoying it even more than he initially realized. He was still as hard as he had been and the hand that had been previously resting on his thigh was starting to creep closer to his cock as his desire to touch himself grew. Yuri stopped him by pressing the heel of his foot against his hand. With a whimper, Ivan obeyed and put his hand back where it was, the other continuing to hold Yuri’s hip.

“Good boy,” Yuri growled appreciatively, thrusting his hips forward, pushing himself deeper until he felt himself touch the back of Ivan’s throat. Ivan made a noise through his nose and tears sprung to the corners of his eyes but refused to fall. It was a feeling that Yuri could tell Ivan didn’t like, didn’t really know how to handle yet, but he was doing his best to take it. “You’re better at this than I thought you’d be,” he praised, stroking his fingers through Ivan’s hair as he continued to bump the back of his throat.

There was too much of a good thing, though. Ivan’s face was getting redder by the second and Yuri could tell that if he didn’t ease up, he’d probably pass out. When he pulled out, saliva ran down Ivan’s chin and he took a few shuddering gasps and rubbed the backs of his hands against his eyes.

“Thank you... master.”

Unprompted?

Grabbing Ivan’s wrist, he pulled him up and kissed him hard on the lips. Ivan was completely pliant beneath his touch now, eyes hazy and unfocused, but he still kissed back gently in his own way, even as Yuri delivered him rough, biting kisses.

“On the bed,” he said. “On your knees.”

For some reason, Ivan seemed relieved to hear that order and was more than willing to arrange himself on the bed for him. He climbed up onto it on his knees and lifted his ass invitingly, placing his head down into the pillow. It was like he was still forgetting who this was about.

Yuri retrieved the lubricant they used before and prepared Ivan only as much as he had himself. He arched into it, trying to get him to do more with his fingers and sounded disappointed when Yuri removed them and all Yuri could do was laugh on the inside. He’d get it soon enough. Ivan was normally so perceptive, but it was like he was completely forgetting the whole point of the lesson this time.

He entered him in one smooth thrust. Beneath him, Ivan curled his fingers in the pillow and buried his face into it to muffle the sounds he made when he just as quickly brushed against his prostate. After Ivan was absent-minded enough to defy him before, Yuri was going to make sure that his pleasure would become suffering. Just how was it that Ivan hadn’t seen where he was going with this yet, though...?

“Yuri-san...” he said, voice hoarse and raw from the abuse his throat taken, his face red as Yuri rocked into him from behind. “Please...”

“Hm? ‘Please’ what?”

“Please, I...” He did that pause that meant it was still too embarrassing for him to say. “I... want to come.”

How. _How_ was Ivan so perfectly oblivious like that? It blew Yuri’s mind completely and it just made him even hotter thinking about how unexpected this was going to be for him. Deciding not to give him any answer at all to preserve the surprise, he just raked his nails down Ivan’s back and grinned while he knew he couldn’t turn to see it.

“Yuri-san, _please_ ,” he repeated anxiously, gasping loudly for each thrust he was given. “Please, Yuri-san, _please_ at least let me touch myself.”

“No. I want you to wait.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. He was just... withholding the full truth again.

That little promise was enough to make Ivan hold on a while longer. Unallowed to touch himself, he chose instead to keep his hands where he could see them and bit down on the back of his knuckles. Having Ivan inside him, getting him to suck him, getting to take him from behind... God was repaying Yuri Petrov for something, wasn’t he? Things were only just going to get better. Ivan felt fantastically tight and kept pressing back against him to try to take him in deeper and Yuri just knew that he was going to come soon.

Which was fine. Because he really wanted what would come after that even more.

With one hard final thrust, he held Ivan’s hips tight and came inside him. For a minute after, he just stayed inside him, enjoying that nice tight feeling and the way Ivan twitched around him, still aching for his own release. Seeing him looking so needy and wanton, Yuri was almost tempted to go again. He wouldn’t really have a problem with keeping it up like this all night if he could, but... He already had his great plan all decided on.

He withdrew, buttoned himself back up, and calmly stood from the bed, leaving Ivan and his shaking knees on the bed.

“Y-you’re not just going to leave me here like this, right?” Ivan asked, looking at him with fear written on his face. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Roll over,” he said, working some knots out of his hair with his fingers idly. Not questioning him, just looking horribly skeptical, Ivan did as he was told and laid out on his back. “Put your arms out.” Ivan put them out in front of himself. Yuri rolled his eyes. “To your sides. Above your head.”

“Oh.” Perfect.

Yuri rummaged through one of the drawers nearby and pulled out some rope. Ivan had to see what was coming now, right? No matter, he wasn’t saying anything that made it sound like he was going to complain. He wasn’t saying anything, just watching as Yuri took the rope and worked on tying his wrists to the bedposts.

“Okay, there.”

Ivan’s expression suddenly got very serious. “Wait. Wait, no, you can’t be serious here. You are’t _really_ going to leave me like this, are you? I thought I paid you back already! What was all that _for_ then?”

Yuri shrugged. “Teaching you a lesson. What good would it be if I let you come again now?” Ivan looked so painfully hard now and this situation seemed to just be worsening that condition. Ivan had a gorgeous cock and having him all tied up like that, Yuri would have loved to give him a little more torture and then finish him off in his mouth while he was too sensitive, but... that was a thought for later.

“You’re leaving me...”

“I’m just going to go check my mail for a while, maybe pay a visit to that new thread of yours. You stay right there.”

“Y-Yuri-san!”

He could still hear Ivan yelling for him even as he closed the door and headed down the hallway. It felt nice knowing that he had some plans to occupy the rest of his night.


	4. All's Fair in Love and War

It was about a month since they started doing whatever it was they were doing.

Yuri was determined to keep the word “relationship” out of it, but that was hard when, by some definition, that was what they had when there were all _kinds_ of relationships. It was undeniably something romantic, though Yuri didn’t even want to touch the word “boyfriend”. He certainly was not that for Ivan, no matter what the other thought. Their relationship was structured around finding opportunities in their schedule to have sex with each other.

The only reason Yuri made this a regular thing in the first place was because he thought Ivan was beautiful. It just helped that he wasn’t annoying and made it okay for him to be around for more than just sex if he wanted. Except at the point that he was letting him come over to just sit on his living room floor and watch TV, he realized that something there must have evolved.

Ivan wasn’t just a pet or a convenient sex call. He was like a fixture now, attached to his home. He was unwittingly cutting into Yuri’s Lunatic time.

He wanted to be mad. He got mad whenever Ivan asked him deep things about his ‘interest’ in the vigilante, but he should have been more than just a little bothered. There was a lot to worry about there, with a hero becoming so close to him, working his way that closely into his life, wandering around his house on his own.

He really should have been mad, but there he was, back in the same Buckstar’s where they met in person for the first time. It felt surreal to think that it had only been a month ago that they’d met. The setting had changed a little; no crowd of people cosplaying as heroes trying to meet each other from the forum, no heroes cosplaying as regular people to blend in. This time it was just Yuri and the other normal customers who moseyed into the cafe looking to get some quick hot coffee or stopping to sit and use the free wi-fi.

Looking no different than anyone else in the place, Yuri sat up against the wall in the same spot across the room where he had sat that time before. In one hand was a cup of hot, fragrant coffee and his other hand was occupied with typing on his laptop. Fortunately, there had been no hearings scheduled for him that day, which made him unreasonably excited because it meant he could do this with Ivan.

It was like an anniversary date. He didn’t like how _relationship-y_ that sounded, but it meant that he’d succeeded in keeping Ivan around for a month and something about that felt really good. In the beginning, he had been scared enough thinking that he would run away at the first crack of a whip - or before they even touched, period. Instead, Ivan had surpassed all of his expectations and continued to surprise him constantly with his willingness to be dominated and try new things.

He could even see the ways that their time together had impacted Ivan’s writing. His sex stories got increasingly more explicit and Yuri couldn’t complain. He would have been reading Ivan’s stories anyway, but they were even more enjoyable when he knew that he was the one responsible for their content. Other users didn’t question the change or just possibly didn’t notice, just thinking that he was ‘back in the game’ after the drama his friends had caused. But Yuri would just sit back at night and sip his tea as he read their comments and would feel so damn proud of himself.

He looked up from his laptop for a second, suddenly hoping that Ivan didn’t have to suffer and take the bus again to get there. He knew how much Ivan hated the bus, but Yuri was bothered more by the thought of someone else trying to touch him. If he ever caught anyone so much as looking at him, he would likely have to break their hands.

Thankfully, when the bell above the door chimed, Yuri looked up and his Ivan was standing in the doorway, his laptop bag slung across him from shoulder to hip. He wasn’t wearing anything very different from what he usually wore (the Ivan-standard baggy pants and loose shirt) but it made Yuri smile in the worst way because he was immediately imagining what his thin waist looked like under that.

Watching him walk in was like watching him as a stranger. It made him wish that he could have his power to shapeshift so he could always see him acting like that. The setting evening sun made it hard for Ivan to see as he squinted, lip between his teeth, looking around the cafe until finally, his eyes found Yuri and his expression changed into a knowing smile. Nervously excusing himself around some other customers, Ivan wound his way around the chairs in the middle of the shop until he reached their table.

“I saved you a seat,” Yuri said, gesturing grandly to the one in front of him.

Quirking an eyebrow, lip twitching, Ivan pulled out the chair and set down his bag to sit down. “Hardly. There are a bunch of free tables.”

“Would you like a coffee?” It wasn’t like he had to seduce him now when he already had him. His claws were already firmly in Ivan’s back and he wasn’t going anywhere now, so there wasn’t a point in buying him things. Yuri just liked doing it. Spoiling him, he found, was almost just as fun as making him beg. The two went hand-in-hand most of the time, even.

Ivan never stopped looking surprised whenever he offered him things. He knew that he would require him to pay him back in _some_ way or other later, but. Yuri pampered Ivan. Ivan submitted. Rinse and repeat. It wasn’t a trade system anymore so much as it was the definition and structure of their relationship.

Timidly, Ivan nodded while he opened up his bag and began setting up his laptop.

He’d go get him a coffee then. As he passed by him, he brushed the backs of his fingers against his cheek and spared a glance behind himself for a second to catch the way Ivan put his hand to the place he touched.

Incredible.

By the time he returned and handed Ivan’s coffee to him, he had already gotten the forum site up on his screen. Taking his place back in his own seat, he brought up his browser where the forum was waiting.

“This was a really cute idea you had,” Ivan said, taking the lid off his coffee. In a matter of minutes, Yuri was positive that Ivan would be covered in whipped cream. He didn’t have any napkins this time.

“Of course,” he replied, trying not to be too distracted while watching Ivan tackle the mountain of foamy cream. “You would have been mad if I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh, look here,” Ivan said, irritated, waving the stir that Yuri gave him in his direction. One eye narrowed and he quickly took a look at the stir he was holding as if he’d discovered something. “Wait, you got me one of these things, but you didn’t get napkins? Hang on, I’ll go get-”

“No.” As soon as Ivan made to stand up, he pointed down to Ivan’s seat to make him stay put. “Sit.”

He was looking forward to today’s mess. It seemed like no matter what Ivan ate, he managed to make a mess out of it somehow and whipped cream was like his arch nemesis. If he let him have his napkins then that would just ruin the fun of watching it get stuck to his cheeks and nose and then watching him paw at his face with sticky hands.

With a defeated sigh, Ivan gave up before he even began and stayed in his seat.

A message appeared in Yuri’s inbox.

“When did you send me something?”

“Just now,” Ivan said, smirking, taking a sip of his drink, getting whipped cream straight across the side of his face. His confident look shattered as soon as it happened and he grabbed aimlessly at the table, totally seeming to forget about the no-napkin thing. Quietly, he swore under his breath and proceeded to try to lick it off without touching it. Halfway across his face? His tongue wasn’t going to reach that far, but oh how fun it was to watch him try, bless his little heart.

Taking his eyes off Ivan for a moment, he clicked the new message and read what it said.

[RP?!?!?1!?]  
 **_origamically**  
RP WITH MEEEEEEEE~  
See, it’s funny. Because I’m right in front of you. Also, I’m typing with one hand.

Yuri looked up and Ivan was back to smiling stupidly.

[re: RP?!?!?1!?]  
 **stophavingfun**  
ALRIGHT. BUT WHAT ARE WE ROLEPLAYING?

Ivan put a thumb to his chin and took another sip of his coffee, giving himself a very classy whipped cream mustache. The urge to lean over and lick his face was already unbearable. How. _How_ could one person elicit such a reaction from him?

 **_origamically**  
We’re RPing Origami Cyclone and Lunatic, of course! I mean, if that’s what you want to go with. I thought you’d enjoy that since you love Lunatic so much. :3 I can start first if you want since I’ve probably RPed more than you.

That sounded alright with Yuri. If he had his way (and he would), he already knew what kind of direction he was going to take this in. No matter what their scenario would be, he wanted to see Ivan coming undone while there were other people around. Ivan’s whole screen was on full display for anyone to see with the way he was sitting and any reactions he had would be completely unhidden. It served him right when Yuri had to sit there, already getting hot watching him eat erotically.

Though, he supposed that may have been his own fault for getting him the coffee to start with. It was very worth it, though. He got him that with this in mind as his own benefit, after all.

“Go ahead,” he said, responding out loud to Ivan’s last message. “This is one area you have more experience than me in, at least.”

Ivan puffed up his cheeks and pretended to look mad. “God, be quiet. This isn’t like last time. People really will hear you now if you say weird things like that.”

That was true. He loved teasing him and asserting himself over him in public, but, as much as he enjoyed that, it was probably something that greatly confused other people. He promised himself that he would restrain himself, no matter how tempted he became to punish Ivan because, as a judge, he was an important person and other people’s opinions of him were even more important. There were other ways he could punish him that wouldn’t be so obvious as slapping him where everyone could see.

Once he promised Ivan that he would be quiet, he went back to his keyboard.

 **_origamically**  
Today had been a day like any other for Origami Cyclone. Quietly watching from the shadows, he kept an eye on the streets of Sternbild, waiting, ready to spring into action if a threat appeared. Lately, things had been quiet with nary a bank robbery, but he felt like there was something else... lurking. He had the terrible feeling that he knew what it was.

“Am I what’s lurking?” Yuri asked, calmly sipping his coffee. He should have gotten Ivan a slice of cake while he was up here. Totally forgot.

“Yeah, because Lunatic lurks. He always just shows up suddenly.”

“Like you? You’re... ‘watching from the shadows’. Ah, right,” he said, recalling. “You don’t really actively fight criminals like the others. You’re like support.”

Ivan looked at him, aghast. “Support? I fight just like the others! I... have shuriken.” Yuri lowered his cup from his lips slowly, staring at Ivan hard, who looked like he wanted to sink into his chair. “Oh, give me a break. We’re just roleplaying here. I’m trying to be dramatic,” he mumbled.

Yuri nodded just to move it along. “Do I jump in now?”

“If you want.”

Was it appropriate to write in capslock while doing roleplay with someone? It obviously wasn’t hard for Ivan to read his text because he never complained about it. However, it didn’t seem correct for the situation, even though his little finger wanted to hit the capslock key on reflex.

Hands above the keys, Yuri paused, suddenly realizing that it was harder than he thought to write about Lunatic. Writing from a supposedly third person perspective, he wasn’t supposed to know all the things that he knew. The things that immediately came to mind wouldn’t do. Whenever Ivan wrote about him, he said that Lunatic had a kind of ‘lair’ that he would go back to - which wasn’t entirely wrong. Ivan knew about his basement and some of the things he kept down there for their activities. He just didn’t know that it really doubled as his base of operations.

He had to carefully avoid saying anything that would seem too out of place. So instead of mentioning where Lunatic had come from at all, he jumped straight to some interaction.

 **stophavingfun**  
Lunatic could see him from afar. It was the hero they called Origami Cyclone, the high-ranking shape-shifter who did more to support his sponsors than to save citizens from the city’s overgrown criminal population. He looked so comfortable right now.  
This would be a good opportunity to speak with him. He was a hero, but he was also very weak-willed. It probably wouldn’t be very difficult to convince him of his beliefs and if he convinced him, then that would be the first step to convincing the other heroes./

“You don’t really think that the heroes would ever listen to him, do you? None of them kill criminals.” Ivan looked a little exasperated. “I mean, what’s he going to try to do now, seduce me?”

“Yes. But it’s your turn now.”

Ivan reddened slightly and continued writing his part.

 **_origamically**  
He could sense him... He was nearby somewhere. The other heroes were nowhere around, but Origami Cyclone knew that he would have to deal with Lunatic alone if he were confronted. What could he want, he wondered? It was a peaceful day without any disturbances, so what was Lunatic doing there with him?

 **stophavingfun**  
When he decided to approach him, he didn’t attempt to do it with any amount of stealth. He calmly stepped out from his hiding place and walked toward him slowly, his hands held loosely at his sides to show that he was of no threat.

“Origami Cyclone. I would like to speak with you.”

Ivan set down his cup with an audible sound and laughed. “We never established where we were, did we?”

“The shadows.”

Ivan laughed harder. “Oh.” That was a good enough explanation, Yuri thought. No need to be too detailed if they could easily fill in the hard-to-write blanks by talking out loud to each other if they had to.

 **_origamically**  
“Talk?” Origami Cyclone asked, prepared to defend himself. “What kind of ‘talk’ would I have with our enemy, de gozaru?

 **stophavingfun**  
Lunatic continued to approach him slowly until he was standing nearly toe-to-toe with the hero. He found himself wondering what this person looked like underneath their mask. Eye contact was a direct way into one’s mind and he wished that he could see his face. For now, he used their close proximity to his advantage, trying to intimidate without being too overt.

“I am wondering, perhaps, if there is a way to make you see things... my way.”

When he looked up, Ivan was fanning himself with one hand. What, already? He’d barely gotten to the good part yet.

“If Lunatic approached me like that... I don’t think I could resist him.” Yuri would have to remember that for future use. “But man, I had no idea you were such a good writer. You always use capslock. I’ve never seen any of your actual writing.”

Was Ivan forgetting that he was a judge? He hoped that his writing sounded good. He didn’t go to school for years for nothing. So what if he liked capslock? It was very stress-relieving to see his words being said in big, capital letters. In comparison, tracking down criminals was actually very stress-inducing. If Ivan wanted to win this argument against him, all he had to do was convince Lunatic that capital letters were better than capital punishment.

 **_origamically**  
“I don’t... know, de gozaru...” He tried to take a step back away from him. Even though it was only a mask, it was like he could feel Lunatic’s eyes boring into him. “If you’re talking about the way you put an end to criminals, then it might take a lot to convince me.”

 **stophavingfun**  
“Might?” he asked, filling in the distance Origami Cyclone had created. “My, I see that you already have doubts in the way that you think.” Gently, he cupped his jaw with his palm and spoke smoothly. “You know, it is not about revenge. It doesn’t have to be, at all. Think of it as... putting an end to a problem before it has its chance to reappear. Many murderers go on to become repeat offenders when they leave prison. If you stop them before they have the chance, then you could be saving countless innocent lives.”

 **_origamically**  
“But I couldn’t. I could never dishonor myself as a hero by taking a life!”

 **stophavingfun**  
“And you wouldn’t have to,” he said, running his hand around to the back of the hero’s neck where he lazily stroked his fingers. “I would do it for you. The only one who needs to make that judgment is me. I could do this... just as long as the heroes don’t stop me.”

 **_origamically**  
This was turning out to be more difficult than Origami Cyclone had envisioned. Lunatic was actually a very smooth talker and he hadn’t expected that at all. He found himself falling quickly for words he never imagined he would believe. The hand at the back of his neck was doing strange things to him, hypnotic in a way, and he fought to keep his thoughts together despite it.

Shaking his head, he hastily forced away Lunatic’s hand and jumped back. “No. I won’t stand for this!”

_’Won’t stand for this’_? He was making Origami Cyclone sound like such an anime character. Yuri would have questioned it out loud, but when he looked over his laptop at Ivan, the boy had his eyes glued to his screen, shoulders tensed, waiting anxiously for his next reply.

It would have been a waste to draw his attention now when he had him right where he wanted him. Ivan’s reactions now hinged on his every word.

 **stophavingfun**  
He would see about that. Like it or not, he was going to make him submit until he had him to the point of believing. His first step: to prove to him how weak he was, that even as a hero, the boy known as Origami Cyclone needed someone who would take care of him.

So he back-handed him.

He watched him fall back a step, putting a hand to the place on his mask where he’d struck him. In the next moment, he strode over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders.

 **_origamically**  
Breathing slowly, trying not to seem too obviously alarmed... he waited.

 **stophavingfun**  
Really? Was it this easy? He could tell that Origami Cyclone was expecting him to make a big move, but he wanted to really see for himself. He wanted to see the face of the one he was going to make loyal to him.  
Lunatic slid his hands up his shoulders to his neck slowly until he found the clasps hidden underneath his mask. When the boy didn’t pull away, he released them.

This was getting way too personal. He had to stop himself for a minute just to wonder what he was doing. Was it too obvious that he was injecting himself into the character of Lunatic? Then again, he _was_ Lunatic, so he feared that it would be too difficult to separate himself from that fact. Though, when he looked back at Ivan, he had his eyes still on his screen and one hand was up on the back of his neck, his fingers brushing forward to feel along his jaw where that mask’s catch would be.

Yuri slid forward in his seat, getting close enough to brush his knees with Ivan’s. He could feel the way that one of his legs shook anxiously and when Yuri’s touched his, he jolted and looked up, eyes full of wide, innocent surprise.

“S-Sorry. I was getting absorbed,” he apologized, laughing nervously.

“Well, what are you going to do? Lunatic knows your face now.”

“I...” Ivan drew a finger idly along the edge of his cup. “Now, don’t assume that I’d do anything like this for real - because I wouldn’t - but... I think I’ll just submit here.”

Yuri could tell that he was talking about himself and his character in their roleplay. With the way he was shifting around in his seat, eyes darting this way and that, Yuri just knew that he was hard already as well. And what? Did he think that admitting that he would submit would be the end of it? No, they still had much farther to go than that.

“It’s your turn.”

Ivan was trying not to look flustered but he was failing badly. “Uh. Yeah, I guess we only just started. Can’t quit now, can I?”

With his elbow on the table, cheek resting on the back of his hand, Yuri silently enjoyed watching Ivan struggle to make his response. His concentration wasn’t quite there anymore and it looked like he was physically forcing himself to keep typing, knowing that he was being watched. His eyes occasionally took quick glances to the sides, trying to tell if anyone was looking at what he was typing without making it obvious by turning around. When Yuri got his response, he could see why he looked so nervous.

 **_origamically**  
Unsure if he was even capable of fighting back at this point, Origami Cyclone kept his hands at his sides and waited anxiously for whatever was going to happen next. It felt like an eternity before his mask was fully removed and he let out a breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding. Somehow, Lunatic’s mask looked even more frightening up close now that he was looking at him with his bare eyes. His hands though, for some reason, had felt surprisingly gentle.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know, what are you expecting me to say?” Yuri asked.

Ivan played with his coffee cup a little, spinning it between his hands. He dared to look farther behind himself for a second, but turned back to his screen immediately when a girl passing by looked at him curiously. “Uh, I don’t know.” If he didn’t say specifically, Yuri was just going to make him. Then, in a small voice, he said, “But I kind of want him to do bad things to me.”

Very well then. This was just ‘pretend’ Lunatic, after all. He could say whatever he wanted now. It didn’t have to mean that he was ever... going to actually do this in real life.

 **stophavingfun**  
Lunatic smirked beneath his mask. The boy was like clay now beneath his hands. He moved his palm gently across his face just to watch the way he closed his eyes and shivered.

“Why are you suck a cocktease?” Ivan asked in a rushed, frustrated whisper. “Why don’t you just throw me down and have your way with me already?”

Yuri pondered that. “Well, I need to establish some kind of dominance over you first, otherwise it’s not fun. These things take time.”

“What the hell are you even saying? I had sex with you the first day we met. You don’t know anything about ‘taking time’ with something like this.” There was some giggling and Ivan whipped his head around to see some girls staring, wide-eyed at him as if they had stopped their own conversation when they heard what he said. “O-Oh...”

Softly, Yuri laughed, his eyes on the girls as they went up to the register. “I guess that I’ll just have to do something about this then, won’t I?” He ducked his head and continued to type, taking his time with his choice of words, mostly just stalling. Beneath the table, he brushed the toe of his shoe against the back of Ivan’s leg and listened to the sharp inhale it brought from him. The longer he took to ‘type’, the more anxious Ivan became until he finally put his cup to his lips, took a long drink, and set it back down with the hollow noise that meant it was empty.

“Well, I finished my coffee, I’ll be right back,” he said quickly, standing up from his seat. Yuri knowingly watched the way he tried to guard the front of his pants as he stood and watched with even more amusement as he walked hastily down the small hallway nearby to the bathroom. Except, when Ivan reached the door and tried to turn the handle, he stopped. He looked back at Yuri. Yuri raised his eyebrows and just smiled.

The door was locked. He was in a little coffee shop - what was he expecting?

This roleplay could wait. Leaving his laptop where it was without a glance back, Yuri strode to the register. Leaning over some customers (those girls again) he casually asked the barista if he could have the code for the restroom. Keeping the numbers at the front of his mind, he returned to Ivan and nudged him aside to enter the numbers into the lock on the door.

_Click._

“Ah.”

“After you.”

“After...?”

Yuri reached over him to turn the handle, then thrust Ivan into the room with a pat on the back before following closely in behind him.The door clicked shut and they were temporarily surrounded by darkness; darkness that Yuri had to thoroughly take advantage of. His hands found Ivan’s chest in the dark and he groped his palms firmly over Ivan’s nipples, drawing little whimpers and weak complains from him until his scrabbling hands found the light switch.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing today?” he asked breathlessly, trying to turn around in Yuri’s arms. “I’m glad that you’re comfortable enough to go out with me now, but don’t you think you’re pushing it? What if someone finds out what you’re doing in here?”

“It’s fun, isn’t it? The thought that someone could find out...” Lightly, he leaned in to brush his lips against the curve of Ivan’s ear,effectively turning him into a pliant mess in his arms. While he gently took his ear between his teeth, he brushed the back of his hand against the front of his pants, feeling along the outline of his cock which was pressed up needily for his attention. He could already tell; Ivan was painfully hard. It was no wonder that he had ran off when he did - it was just surprising that his little bit of roleplay with him had been able to turn him on this strongly.

“D-Don’t tease me, okay? I really... I don’t know how long I’ll last right now.”

Yuri chuckled and sucked briefly on one of the lingering bruises that remained on Ivan’s neck from last time, then leaned back to enjoy the hungry, lost look on his face. “Does writing always get you like this? Look at you. You look like you could come any second.”

Ivan took a deep breath and his hands gripped the back of Yuri’s jacket, tugging, begging him without words not to push him any farther. So Yuri decided that he wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to touch him at all like that - not just yet. Seeing Ivan already so ready for him was definitely turning him on and he’d be damned if he didn’t use an opportunity to have some wholesome public sex with Ivan.

“Push down your pants, then turn around,” he said, moving back to let Ivan handle it.

Obediently, Ivan unzipped his pants and only gave one embarrassed glance upward at him before he slid his pants and underwear down far enough to free his cock. He breathed a sigh, glad to have the pressure removed, but when he went to touch himself, Yuri instantly grabbed his hand and forced it to his sides.

“Turning around, remember? Go put your hands on the sink.”

“R-right.”

Was it mean of him to not let Ivan come now? If he started touching him and let him have it already, then Yuri wasn’t sure he’d enjoy being fucked by him after. It was for Ivan’s sake, really. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable either way (unless he wanted to be, of course) but the kind of discomfort that waiting would bring would just make his release that much better when he finally gave it to him.

Ivan’s eyes were cast downward, staring into the sink, staring at the floor, looking everywhere but up and that was when Yuri realized that he was brilliant. Right in front of the sink was a mirror that was hung at a slant. Normally, that was to give people a better view of themselves as they fixed themselves up, but in Ivan’s situation, it gave him a really nice look at his cock and the way it stood begging to be touched.

Not only that, but Yuri realized that he could even see himself behind him, which was even better. Genius struck twice.

“Ivan,” he said as he undid he belt, “I want you to think of me as Lunatic, alright?”

Ivan choked on a gasp and nodded a little too quickly, giving away his interest in this idea. “...You’ve got it,” he said, flashing him a look in the mirror. He wanted it bad now, probably didn’t even matter if he had to wait. His hands were gripping the edge of the sink even tighter, but he spared one hand to loosen his pants more and spread his legs a little wider to give himself up.

“Perfect,” Yuri praised, sliding a hand over Ivan’s backside, squeezing gently before spreading him open to press his thumb against his entrance. Yuri Petrov was nothing if not always prepared for a situation and this was exactly the kind of situation he wanted to be prepared for the most. From one of the pockets inside his suit jacket, he found the small tube of lubricant he brough with him and applied a bit of it to his fingers before he returned to Ivan’s entrance. He traced his fingers around it lightly, watching the way it twitched and the way it made Ivan’s knees go weak for a second when he began to push them inside.

He coaxed his fingers inside him for a minute or two and Ivan made the effort to stay upright. In the mirror, Yuri could see the way his eyes were glazed, hazy, looking like he was ready enough already to take his cock with just that small amount of preparation. Sweat rolled down the side of his face and down his neck and Ivan used a hand to tug at the collar of his shirt, probably hoping to alleviate some of the heat.

It was a little warm in the small, unairconditioned space, but Ivan was, without a doubt, still the hottest thing in the room. When Yuri finally pushed into him, Ivan practically howled, hanging his head low between his arms.

“Watch your voice,” Yuri reminded him, tightening his fingers against his hips, warning him with his nails.

Ivan nodded and bit down on his lower lip. “Sorry... You’re supposed to be Lunatic, right?”

“Yes,” Yuri said simply, thrilled by the way Ivan felt like he was tighter than usual around him. Maybe Ivan was finding this so arousing was because it really _wasn’t_ out of the realm of possibility for him to be Lunatic. Because he was. And knowing that he had this much control was his own turn-on. “Yes. I am, and I’m a very good master, aren’t I?”

Stuttering, shoulders shaking, Ivan gave up trying to speak and just nodded his head, moaning while Yuri found his prostate and began relentlessly thrusting against it. “Harder,” he muttered quietly, his voice sounding lost. A second later, he cleared his throat and tried again a little louder. “Please, take me _harder._ ”

Was it even possible for Yuri to go at it harder than he already was? Any harder and he suspected that he’d really have to keep Ivan from falling over. As it was, he was already having to hold him up by his hips, his legs getting too unsteady with the way he was thrusting into that spot that made him see stars. Just seeing him coming so undone was enough for Yuri. Knowing that he was the cause, that he and _Lunatic_ were responsible, his chest swelled with pride and it lit his blood on fire.

Right. He really had to be careful about that. He was doing so well at keeping it cool, but if he weren’t careful, he was going to end up accidentally melting Ivan’s hips. It wouldn’t really be his fault, though. No one could blame him when Ivan was making such shameless faces, looking like he had totally given up on ignoring his own image in the mirror.

“Please, master,” he said, sounding unsure of whose name he should say. “I want to come so bad...”

“I’m almost there,” Yuri sighed, stroking a hand up Ivan’s back underneath his shirt. “Go on and touch yourself. And watch in the mirror. I want to see you, too.”

It almost seemed painful for Ivan to touch himself at this point. As his fingers curled around his cock, he shut his eyes tightly for a moment and sucked in a breath. Then slowly, he opened his eyes and watched in the mirror as he drew his fist along his length. He swirled his palm quickly over the head to catch some of the precum that was dripping down the underside and used it to slick his hand as gripped a little harder and continued to stroke himself.

“Good boy,” Yuri murmured close to his ear, watching every little detail of the show in front of him. “Don’t hold back. I know how close you are.”

Ivan’s mouth opened but he held back the sound that he was going the make. His lips quivered when he shut them and he couldn’t hold his eyes open any longer when he came, quivering from head to toe with the force of his release.

Yuri rode out his own release inside him, trying to maintain his cool and not burst into flame even while he felt Ivan constricting around him. It took him a moment or two after he came to realize that he was still inside Ivan who was still slumped against the sink, panting heavily. His mind must have wandered off for a moment or something. It just felt so nice being inside him still, a big part of him continuing to like the fact that Ivan came that hard for Lunatic.

He would have liked to stay like that with him for a while longer, but their position and their current location just wouldn’t allow for it, so he begrudgingly slid out and let Ivan try to catch himself. Considerately, he pulled one of the towels from the nearby dispenser and helped clean the cum and lubricant from him without a word.

“Good as new. That was fun.” He tossed it in the trash and calmly stepped in front of Ivan to wash his hands at the sink.

“Yeah...” Ivan mumbled, moving over to the sink himself once Yuri gave him room. “ _Good_ is just kind of an understatement, though. Try, like, really awesome. I think I see why you like Lunatic now for sure.”

That statement made Yuri feel all kinds of things. He wondered what it would be like if Ivan knew...

That was a thought for another time. That would require more roleplay before it could ever work out in real life. Maybe.

“I’ll go out first,” Ivan said, readjusting his buckle back in place. Satisfied with how he looked when he looked back in the mirror, Ivan gave him a smile and slipped from the room out the door.

Yuri waited a minute or two before he left the restroom himself. However, when he reached the end of the hallway, Ivan was standing there, nervously hovering off to the side.

“What happened?” he asked as he approached. The question was rendered unnecessary when he followed Ivan’s shocked and horrified gaze to find what had become of their table. There, at the table, sitting at _their_ laptops, were the two girls from before, chatting and giggling to each other as they read out loud the lines from their roleplay.

Since Ivan looked too mortified to do anything about it, Yuri strode over to their table and stood next to the girls, looking down at them with disapproval written clearly across his face.

It took her a second to even notice him, but when the one at his laptop did, she turned red and immediately stood up from his seat and backed away and started apologizing. “Sorry! I’m so sorry. It was just, like, _there_ and...”

“Yeah!” her friend chimed, awkwardly removing herself from Ivan’s seat as well. “We’ll just... be going now!”

The two walked quickly to the door but before they left, the one who had been sitting in Yuri’s seat grabbed her friend’s hand to stop her. She turned around and said loud enough for them to hear across the shop: “You two sound perfect for each other! Have fun with that!”

And then they left.

When Yuri looked down, Ivan was back in his seat, staring down at his keyboard with a hollow expression.

“They saw...”

“It’s not the end of the world. All they know is that we have extremely good taste.”

That didn’t seem to be consoling Ivan very well. His lips pressed into a thin line as his eyebrows furrowed, a cataclysm of horrible thoughts happening somewhere inside his mind over this.

“Happy anniversary.”

Ivan blinked. Slowly, he seemed to return to reality.

He glanced to the side and said thoughtfully, “I wonder if we are.”


	5. The Devil Looks After His Own

This was some kind of a debacle.

Yuri was already aware of what failures the heroes were, but this had risen to a ridiculous level with this fight. Hero TV was live, following the heroes as they tried to stop a NEXT criminal who was apparently involved in some kidnapping. It sounded simple enough. Lunatic didn’t have to become involved for this one because whatever, this woman didn’t seem too threatening. He didn’t even understand why the heroes were bothering to ‘save’ the kidnapping victim when they didn’t seem to want to be rescued at all. So far, she had been clinging to the criminal desperately, almost getting herself caught in between the fighting a number of times.

It was like she wanted to stay with the NEXT, so why not?

It was his own fault for tuning in late so maybe he hadn’t heard the announcer explain _what_ the NEXT’s power was exactly, but the realization of what it was began to dawn on him slowly while he continued to observe the fight.

The only explanation for the victim’s behavior was that she was being controlled by her kidnapper. (Yuri felt a little disappointed in himself that his thoughts about it had been so romantic at first.) Aside from that, the NEXT didn’t have any other way of defending herself. She had minimal hand-to-hand skills which made combat difficult for her, but she was excellent at evading them, though - which was impressive when Tiger and Barnaby were already so fast.

The camera panned out a little eventually to show what the other heroes were up to. What started out seeming simple was apparently becoming too much for them to handle and the others began showing up as they heard that Tiger and Barnaby could use back up.

Yuri smirked to himself and made himself comfortable on the couch when Ivan arrived as Origami Cyclone. It would be really nice if he could take care of the criminal and score some points. Not that Yuri _cared_ or anything, but if one of the heroes had to gain some positive attention, then he would prefer it to be his personal favorite.

The rest of this scene went even less like what Yuri was expecting. Namely, there was the fact that the NEXT finally figured out how to best use her powers. If she took Barnaby or Tiger hostage and used them against the others, that would have been one thing. That could have been smart in a way, but either of them could probably take some good hits before they captured the criminal. Instead, she noticed the way they were trying to avoid hitting her innocent hostage... and decided to grab a weak hero for herself to use as her new human shield.

The heroes wouldn’t do anything to hurt Origami Cyclone, would they?

At the point that Ivan was guarding her and her hostage against the heroes’ attacks with open arms, Yuri was sitting up on the edge of the couch, leaning forward farther and farther as things got progressively worse. The heroes were hesitating to attack him, but what else was there for them to do? The cameras zoomed in closer to get a good shot of Ivan diving in front of her to receive one of Barnaby’s kicks and that was just...

Something about that felt so wrong for reasons that Yuri didn’t want to start thinking about.

Because _this woman._ Clearly, she had no respect for another person’s property.

The mind-controlled Ivan was doing all he could to deliver his own attacks against the other heroes, but he wasn’t much of an attacker to start with. His shuriken just bounced off their armor and it wasn’t long before the heroes figured out what to do. With one firm tackle, Rock Bison grabbed him up and held onto him tightly, giving Tiger and Barnaby just enough time to catch the NEXT off guard and capture her.

The cameras stayed on the heroes for a while, showing close-ups of them enjoying their victory as the ticker displayed their newly awarded points. Ivan actually received points for... protecting the hostage. Which was ironic. Because from what Yuri could tell, Ivan _was_ one of the hostages. While everyone was waving to the cameras, Ivan was staggering slowly out of Rock Bison’s arms, wavering on his feet. In the second that it seemed he was about to collapse, Rock Bison grabbed him under the arms and propped him back upright again.

Yuri was incredibly curious to know what they were saying, but their mics must have been turned off. From the looks of it though, Ivan wasn’t well after whatever she had done to him. The video cut right as Ivan was being led toward an ambulance that had arrived at the scene and that was that.

After an uncomfortable minute of staring at the television and not really seeing the commercials that were running, Yuri realized that he didn’t know what Ivan’s cellphone number was.

 

Ivan came over later than usual. Yuri had been getting used to him popping up in the middle of the afternoon, then staying until dark. Or just plain staying. This time, he walked in after Yuri had already made dinner, finished it, and put everything away. Ivan had his laptop bag hanging around his shoulders like usual and had on a big, cheerful grin. Also, there were some bandages on his face. And his neck.

He didn’t know what to say to him, mostly because he didn’t know how he felt about what he saw earlier. It wasn’t Ivan’s fault that he got used as a puppet by a criminal. He was aware of all the strange risks that came with being a hero and any of the others had been just as likely to get controlled like that. So he couldn’t blame him, not really. Was he mad at the NEXT for what she did? Maybe.

That might have been what it was, but there wasn’t anything he could have done then. And what was he thinking anyway? He wanted to protect Ivan?

No. It was just.

“Aren’t you going to ask me how my day was?” Ivan asked, tilting his head a little to the side, shifting his weight to the other foot. It sounded more like he was curious whether he already knew, which he did.

“I already saw. What the hell happened?”

He wasn’t sure why Ivan even bothered asking when the next second, he was leaning farther to the side to look around him to check out the kitchen, completely ignoring his question. “Did you eat already? You ate without me?”

“I often do.”

“Oh.” He adjusted the strap on his shoulder and Yuri wondered if it was because he felt awkward or if it was because it hurt. “I guess it’s kind of late for that, huh?”

“It is. It’s after ten.”

“Oh. I guess I should get a watch then,” he said, laughing, but stopped slowly when he saw that Yuri wasn’t giving in to his humor. “Yeah, I... have the time on my phone.” Still not funny. “Should I leave? I can tell you’re mad or something, so... I’ll just go.”

Was it really that bad? Even though he wore the bandages as evidence of being involved in that fight, they were all light ones. There wasn’t any blood showing and he didn’t have any breaks. Yuri didn’t want to get his hopes up. Hopes, though? He was disgusted that he had any, but this was Ivan. He knew why watching him being controlled bothered him, but he wanted to know what it was about it that was still bothering Ivan.

When he didn’t say anything for a minute, just thinking, Ivan took it as a hint to go and he ducked his head and turned around to leave.

“Ivan.” Yuri felt his chest tighten when he immediately stopped walking mid-step. “Why did you come?”

The tenseness in Ivan’s shoulders left as if he were a balloon that had been popped, like he was giving up. “Why else would I come?”

Who was that a question for?

Yuri stepped to him in a few long strides and grabbed his wrist, turning him around by it and holding it to keep him from going anywhere then. Even when he had him facing him, Ivan was suddenly refusing to look at him. That was familiar by now. Whatever it was, Ivan was embarrassed. “What’s wrong with you?” He wasn’t sure if that was the gentlest way to voice concern, but it was all he could bring himself to say to him.

Ivan’s wrist held no resistance beneath his hold; loose and relaxed, completely at surrender. “It was...” He breathed slowly out through his nose. “...a really bad day.”

Yuri snorted and let him go. “You weren’t the only one having a bad day. Imagine the scene I had to see on the television this afternoon. Where was your head, letting that woman take control of you like that?”

Wait. He wasn’t really going to start blaming Ivan, was he? He knew he couldn’t blame him.

“I know,” Ivan bit out too quickly in response. “I’m sorry. I...” He lifted a hand and rubbed at the corner of one eye, then instantly sunk his fist back down to his side as if ashamed he’d let himself do that. “There wasn’t anything I could do. I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t even feel like me. I don’t remember _any of it._ ”

Yuri blinked. “None of it?”

“Nothing! It was just like...”

“Like that time I tied you up in the basement,” Yuri provided.

“Yes! Except this time, I felt really lost when I came to and I hurt all over. For a second, I thought it was like that time.” Suddenly, he got quiet, then decided that it was time to look up at him. His eyes still seemed guarded somewhat, like he was unsure whether he should keep speaking. Then, it all just came out in one hurried rush of words. “I’m sorr- I know you don’t like to hear that. But I’m sorry. You’re mad about what I did but I’m mad about what I did because _I can’t believe I let anyone else control me._ ”

For a minute there, Yuri just stayed silent. He knew that if he didn’t say anything that Ivan was going to start worrying again, but the words weren’t coming for him.

“I can’t remember any of it,” he repeated, gaze dropping back to the floor. “Nothing. I... hurt my friends? How did I even let that happen? I know I was there, but it just wasn’t me.”

Yuri realized something. He didn’t need any special power like that NEXT had to control a person’s mind. He already had Ivan completely. Now he just really wanted to hear him say it, to say it more certainly than he ever had. He wanted to have no doubts that Ivan belonged to him. “So what are you here for?”

He wasn’t expecting Ivan to answer him immediately, but he did.

“Because I belong here, don’t I?”

“Hm.” Not quite what he was expecting to hear either, but he wouldn’t say it was entirely the wrong answer. Ivan belonged in his bed and his bed _was_ ‘here’ in his house, so it was technically correct, sure. He hadn’t gotten tired of him yet and other men were starting to seem boring in comparison, so yes. Ivan did belong _here._ “Alright,” he said.

“Just ‘alright’?” Ivan questioned. “I was expecting something more like ‘Yes, Ivan. You belong to me. Get in my bed!’”

Ivan’s impression of him was terrible. More terrible than that time he tried transforming to impersonate him. “I don’t sound anything like that.”

He just shrugged. “Yeah, well. It’s... It’s kind of what I wanted to hear.”

Ivan was a hero after his own heart - or at least after his dick, which was even more acceptable. Seriously, what was he doing tonight? Seeing him acting differently was somewhat disconcerting, but a weak, needy Ivan was the best, most delicious kind of Ivan. Making him want him was fun. Realizing that Ivan wanted him now without him even having to do or say anything was _special._

Goddamn it. Before Ivan came, Yuri was really thinking about putting on the costume to go find that bitch.

She could wait. Hell, he could even torment her as much as he wanted later out of costume, even. The thought of that really brought the fire back, but for now, he had Ivan to let it out with.

Well then. Now that Ivan had practically already asked him for it, he could have some fun with him. Ivan was tilting his head again, a move that reminded Yuri a lot of the way a small dog would look at its owner when it’s confused about what its master is thinking or when it just wants to be pet. Obliging, Yuri lifted a hand and placed it on top of Ivan’s head, giving him a firm pet down the back of his head, stretching out his fingers to scratch lightly behind his ears.

“W-Wha...” Ivan sounded confused, but there wasn’t anything confusing about the way he leaned up into his touch.

“You really couldn’t do a thing?” He dragged his nails over the back of Ivan’s neck and slid his hand under the back of his shirt to scratch along his shoulders. Ivan was probably trying to respond but it came out in a mumbled affirmative sound instead of words. “If you couldn’t do anything, then how did Tiger and Barnaby avoid being controlled, hm?”

It was probably because she wasn’t even trying to control them, though Yuri hadn’t even yet considered the possibility that she just couldn’t. He was giving Ivan a lot of credit with the way he had been thinking about it and the fact was, he didn’t _know_ how her powers worked.

Ivan shook his head furiously. “I couldn’t help it! I tried, but the thing she did - it was like it was targeting some place in my mind that I didn’t know how to even control.”

Yuri’s fingers tightened around the back of Ivan’s neck and he stood closer. “You only obey the orders of one person, you know. I don’t care what kind of strength it would have required. You belong to me. I am your master and you do only as I say.”

Looking hopeful, Ivan asked, “Now are you going to ask me to get on your bed?”

Better than that. Yuri grabbed the collar of Ivan’s jacket and used it to lead him through the house, down that one hall, then to his bedroom. He pushed open the door and tossed Ivan inside, then shut the door behind them. Timidly, Ivan removed his laptop bag and set it down next to the bed and moved his hands to his jacket.

Yuri held up a hand and he stopped immediately. “I haven’t even told you what we’re doing yet.”

“But it will probably require me to get naked, right?” Ivan countered, lifting his eyebrows. For the person who had seemed so down before, he was acting rather invigorated now. Yuri sort of wished he hadn’t changed his tone.

Huffing, he started loosening his tie, unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt, and opened his jacket. All the while, Ivan watched him intently as if he were putting on some kind of show, absorbing even the smallest piece of exposed skin. Before, he had found out that Ivan liked how he looked, even when he was naked, but he still didn’t feel right undressing all the way. Ivan seemed to like the suit anyway, especially if it were slightly undone like this for some reason. He was glad that Ivan had such a fetish.

“Actually,” he said slowly, thoughtfully. “Lay back on the bed.”

Ivan did as he was told. He toed off his shoes and brought himself up on the bed, resting his head back against the pillow. He spread out his arms to either side and laid there waiting expectantly. “So what are we going to do on the-”

“I’m going to undress you myself.” Ivan closed his mouth mid-word and looked at him funny. “I can’t believe you’re surprised.”

His cheeks reddened and he glanced to the side, returning to that embarrassed look Yuri had become familiar with. He couldn’t voice anything in response to that, but he brought his arms closer to himself defensively and it was like he was bringing down what Yuri started to think of as the ‘Ivan Shields’. That wouldn’t do at all. How was he supposed to get his clothes off of him if he was closing up like that?

He tapped him on the elbows and surprised Ivan’s senses enough to make him jolt and spread his arms out again. It was surprising that he had already gotten so used to removing his own clothes and getting on all fours, which Yuri would have assumed would be more embarrassing for him. His direct attention was what really did it for him, wasn’t it? If Ivan felt like he knew what to expect, then Yuri wasn’t really the one with the control anymore. Things would just be predictable.

“Sit up for a minute.”

Ivan did, but he kept his eyes off looking at other things, never meeting his.

“I’m not as mad as you might think I am. I’m jealous. And bothered.”

“That’s reassuring,” Ivan said. “That all sounds like it could fall under ‘mad’.”

Yuri shook his head while he continued to work off Ivan’s jacket, sliding it from each arm. “Not really. I was thinking about doing terrible things to that woman.”

Ivan stared, looking confused. “Terrible things? Oh... I see. You’re the jealous type, so you were going to go slash her tires or something? That’s kind of sweet of you in a really weird way.”

If only he knew. It was probably best that he didn’t. He didn’t know how Ivan would feel if he knew he wanted to set a woman on fire for laying her hands on what was precious to him.

What was...

Ivan waved a hand in front of his face. When Yuri noticed it (How long had he been doing that?) he grabbed it and forced it back down to the bed, prompting a yelp from him. So what was this? Did he have to have a word for what he had with Ivan? He must, if his mind was still preoccupied with finding one.

He wanted him, though. That was what he knew and never questioned. His vigor to remove Ivan’s clothes seemed to surprise him and it surprised Yuri a little as well. Once he had him completely naked beneath him, he just stayed straddling over him to look down at him for a moment to appreciate every perfectly formed inch of him. He scraped his nails down Ivan’s sides, marveling once again at how someone who ate so much could still be so small. He felt so breakable under his hands.

He gently cupped a palm to Ivan’s cheek and he flinched, closing his eyes, expecting the next second to bring a slap. But Yuri just kept his hand where it was, still, feeling unexpectedly bad that Ivan’s first reaction was to _flinch away._

“I’m your master,” he said.

Ivan opened his eyes slowly. “I know that.”

How to clarify... “I want to give you pain, but I won’t hurt you.”

“I know that,” he said again and his sudden cheerfulness must have been a lie because he had a tear in his eye again. He really must have been scared. Something about that face compelled Yuri to put his hand on his head again, this time to stroke his fingers through his hair, feeling each strand between his fingers as if it were the first time.

His fingers trailed lower to where the bandage on his neck wrapped around. “How bad are these?” he asked, toying at the edge of it.

“Not bad. There’s just a few scrapes and bruises.”

“I’m taking them off then,” he said, just to be sure Ivan would let him. Taking off his clothes forcibly was one thing. Removing bandages that may have had to stay on was quite different. Ivan wordlessly nodded for him to continue, so he picked up the edge and slowly removed the one around his neck an inch at a time. Ivan was getting good because he didn’t even complain about how it felt when the adhesive clung to the tiny hairs on his neck. It _sounded_ painful.

As he said, what was underneath wasn’t so bad and was hardly deserving of the large bandage it was covered with. The scrape on his neck itself was lengthy but not very deep, but whatever had hit him had caused the area around it to bruise. Rubbing his thumb over it made Ivan shiver, so he pressed down more around it to watch him squirm.

“It makes me jealous when I see these,” he said after he had uncovered the next one on his chest. It was only a scrape, but the bruising around it was already pretty dark. There was another on his shoulder that looked like it has been scratched into more than once. The last one was near his hip in a place that probably felt uncomfortable for him whenever he moved. Yuri took the bandage off that one with particular care.

Ivan was breathing slowly but deeply, like he was waiting and still somewhat afraid of what Yuri thought about the cuts and bruises. He wasn’t lying when he said it made him jealous, but it also did something else to him that hurt. Seeing Ivan in real pain hurt.

Maybe that was it after all. Ivan was his. His to do these things to. His to protect.

“Y-Yuri-san...?”

His skin was soft under his lips. He could feel Ivan’s fingers digging into his shoulder as his teeth grazed over the cut on his neck. If these had been left by someone else, then he was going to take them back and make them his. He bit gently around it, not as hard as usual, but just a little softer. Anything more he did to it would probably make his bruises deepen.

That was just fine. A nice, dark bruise would remind Ivan of who left them there now.

Ivan grasped the sheets in his hands and looked away as Yuri traveled lower to where the bruise on his hip was. He really had to get himself some better armor to protect these delicate places. He ran his fingers around it and realized why Ivan was trying not to look down now. The adorable submissive he was, he was already getting hard from having the pain renewed on his bruises.

“You like it,” he said. Ivan could only whimper, too flustered to speak. His knees rubbed together as he fought to control his own reactions but couldn’t hide it at all. Yuri avoided directly touching him as he leaned down to touch his lips to the spot on his hip. It was already in such a delicate place, so the intensity of his teeth sinking into it must have been that much greater.

When he sat back, Ivan’s chest was rising and falling with harder breaths, his face red down to his neck, his eyes a little damp at the corners. The marks which had bothered Yuri so much before now looked like masterpieces on his fragile skin, the one on his hip still glistening from his tongue.

“They look good on you,” he said. At this point, Ivan couldn’t really look away anymore. He silently begged him with his eyes to just _keep going_. “Now... I wonder what I should do...” Giving the decision to Ivan would be interesting. What sort of thing would he ask for right now anyway? He enjoyed being bitten quite a lot. Maybe being whipped next... “Tell me what you want.”

“Does what I want matter?” Such a good answer. But not a good question.

“Of course. It matters because I told you to tell me. So tell me.”

Ivan was quiet, then, “I just want you to... If I say ‘fuck me’ it feels wrong. I just want...”

Oh.

_Oh_. Well, if he said it like that, then Yuri had to oblige. It was suddenly really hard to control the heat his felt rising up in him and fought to press it down, closing his eyes for a second to clear his head. Ivan’s _feelings_ of all things were doing it for him now? What a day. Yet it _felt_ like it made sense, no matter how confused he felt. The desire he had upon those words spoke clearly enough.

“D-Do you want me to get on my knees?” he asked. It seemed to take all he had to say that now. Feelings got in the way like that, but it made Ivan so adorable.

Yuri laughed quietly and ran his hand in a slow circle over Ivan’s stomach. “No. I’d like you to stay like this. I like seeing these now,” he said, brushing his hand over one of Ivan’s nipples to touch the bruise on his chest. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he just really enjoyed watching Ivan’s face, especially at a time like now when he looked so desperate.

Ivan lifted his legs a little, spreading them out to either side of Yuri’s waist, and kept his hands behind his knees. Something about this reminded Yuri heavily of the first time they had sex and the memory of that compared to the way it felt now after all they had done together made his heart twist with an unfamiliar feeling. It was like he was a virgin all over again, asking for something more innocent than he’d ever given him.

He retrieved the lubricant from the side drawer and prepared Ivan slowly, thoroughly - probably because his mind was so distracted the whole time. The reason Ivan seemed so timid and wanted him so badly tonight was because he genuinely _liked_ him now, wasn’t it? He hadn’t said anything directly enough about it, but Yuri worried about what he would have to say if he did.

What if Ivan _loved him?_

“That’s an odd look on your face. It’s creepy. Stop it.” Ivan looked at him seriously and then cracked a smile. “I can tell when you’re thinking too hard about something. I think I’m more than ready now, you know.”

Right. He didn’t need to still have his fingers in him, now did he. Not that Ivan even seemed to mind. He had been wiggling his hips the whole time for it, trying to get him to give him more with them.

He suddenly felt dangerously curious to find out how Ivan felt about him. But he really didn’t want to know.

“Ivan...”

“Put it in me,” he said flatly. “I want you to put it in me.”

“You’re a romantic. I could always tell.”

Still, Ivan looked a little nervous as Yuri positioned himself. He had to look up just to be sure Ivan wouldn’t break from that confidence and suddenly tell him to stop. He was just watching intensely, squirming only a little as he felt him pushing inside.

It was hard to think when he was inside him. Every time it was like that. He always felt so tight and he always made this cute sound when he would give a hard thrust to push in all the way. This time, his breath caught and his hands flew to grip Yuri’s shoulders and instead of pushing them back down to the bed or tying them up like he normally would, he just let them stay there.

He really was small. He bruised easily. How had anyone ever let someone like him become a hero? He wouldn’t deny that Ivan had the heart for it, but...

“Do they still hurt?” he asked, pausing his movements to lean down and brush his lips against the spot on his neck.

Ivan shook his head. “No,” he said, fingers tangled around the sheets as if they had no other place to be. “It wasn't pain before... like that. But now they're yours so...”

Ivan really wanted to put his arms around him, he could tell. He had gotten so used to feeling like he had to hold himself back and leave all the decisions to Yuri, so that was why he was still holding himself so close together. It made Yuri smirk, knowing that he could predict him like that, yet still feel surprised by it.

He rolled his hips; a little gentler than what Ivan was probably used to and it brought a gasp from him. How was he so good at saying things that made Yuri want him? Did it come naturally with being a porn writer? The heat in him had calmed down a little, even as the rest of him heated up. It felt like it was settling in his chest, someplace around his heart.

Bracing himself over Ivan on one hand, he used to other to pick up his wrists and bring his hands up to his shoulders. Ivan blinked at him, confused, but seemed to quickly accept that he was letting him keep his hands right there – where he wanted them to be. He still must not have been completely over his fragile state yet because even that little show of affection made him sniff and draw a quick breath.

He wished he could realistically promise that he would protect him, but it was hard enough to balance all of his own business. If he could, he would. Leaning close to his ear, he said instead, “Don't let anyone else touch you.” It still wasn't what he wanted to say, but Ivan nodded anyway. He was breathing warmly against his shoulder as their position brought Yuri closer to the spot that made Ivan's knees jerk.

Steadying himself with one hand on Ivan's hip, he ran his other palm up the underside of Ivan's thigh, rubbing slowly just to watch the way it made pleasure twist his face. He hadn't cared about such little, insignificant things with anyone else. With Ivan, he found himself wanting to mentally record every little detail. He wanted to find every place on him that made him react like that.

He took pleasure in knowing that it was all because of him.

“Y-Yuri-san...” Ivan stammered, rolling his hips down onto Yuri's lap, trying to get him to go deeper. “What are you stopping for?”

Oh, he stopped. Or at least... slowed. Ivan was being impatient, but Yuri also hadn't realized that he'd slowed down so much just to watch him. Really, he wasn't going to apologize. He always wanted to take his time to appreciate Ivan.

It took him a minute just to realize that Ivan had given _him_ an order, but all he could do was grin. He should have felt more disappointed that he wasn't retorting to him about it, but he felt the need to agree. Ivan's eagerness made him want to please him even more, almost as much as he wanted to bring him pain. Before he even realized what he was doing, his arms found their way around Ivan's waist and it just...

“Does that feel alright?” he asked. _It felt right._

It took Ivan a second first. Yuri realized how hard he looked, dripping all over his stomach as Yuri continued to thrust against his prostate. Of course Ivan felt alright, but that wasn't the kind he meant. “It's alright,” Ivan said at last. “All of it. It's good, Yuri. Please...”

_Just 'Yuri'? Oh..._

He took Ivan into one hand, finally giving him the attention he wanted most. His breathing got harder and his pressed his forehead into Yuri's shoulder for a moment before he put his head back into the pillow, his face still red all over.

“Ivan,” he asked softly, leaning closer. “Would you kiss me?”

Ivan's eyes widened and his expression slowly softened as teary whimpers fell from his lips. “Y-Yes.”

He said it in such a way that left no room for Yuri to question his own need to kiss him. How many times had he fucked him and never realized how good it made him feel just to be near him? That was a shame he couldn't forgive himself for. Even if he knew it would be hard to say what it was, he couldn't deny the way the feeling that clawed at his heart made everything between them feel different, amazing, more intense.

For the first time in forever, he wondered what it would have been like if he were there naked, too. Maybe next time. Ivan's hands gripping the back of his jacket made it still too good to give up. He liked looking down at him, thinking about how defenseless he looked in comparison, completely naked beneath his hands.

Ivan made just as many noises this way as he did when he got fucked hard. With their lips together, he could feel the sounds, buzzing against his skin, deafened in his own mouth when their tongues met. As he continued to stroke him, he only got louder. He tried hard to keep them in, but Yuri leaned back for a moment and told him just how much he liked hearing it. After that, Ivan didn't hold back and he let every sound he made echo around them as he got closer and closer to coming.

“I'm just as close as you are,” he breathed close to Ivan's ear, giving it a little bite just for good measure. He really couldn't hold out much longer. For some reason, it had taken this much just to hold himself together this time. It may have had something to do with the completely erotic face Ivan was making as he stayed on the edge of climax. With a whimper, Ivan opened his eyes and looked up at him pleadingly and that was all it took for him. Yuri was sure he would be so disappointed in himself later, but he came with that look at the front of his mind as he closed his eyes and let the waves of glorious pleasure wash over him.

When his senses returned, he took a moment to catch his breath and then decided to change their positions a little. “Here,” he said. Sitting up, he brought Ivan into his lap so that his knees spread out on either side of him and kept one arm around his back while the other hand stayed on his cock. He ran his thumb over the head and down the length teasingly, then applied more attention to the head, rubbing firmly over and over until Ivan's legs tightened around his waist.

“Is there anything else you want? Tell me.”

After a beat, Ivan pressed his lips against Yuri's neck and put his head down on his shoulder. “This is fine.” Yuri could tell that it was about more than just what he was doing with his hands. He meant this, what they were doing, just the two of them together.

It took only a few more moments for Ivan to come and it seemed pretty different to have him in his lap and hold him through it. There was no separation and it reminded him of the first time they had slept together. That time, he had wanted Ivan so badly that he could hardly control himself. But now, he had him. The desperation to hold him down as if he would disappear was gone, replaced by a sense of security, knowing that Ivan wouldn't let go.

After he pulled out and readjusted his clothes a little, he put his arms back around Ivan... who was totally slumped against his chest, already looking like he was ready to sleep.

“You really were exhausted.”

“I think I said that already, more or less,” he huffed, eyes closed.

It was oddly comfortable to sit there like that with him, except for the numbness that was starting to make his thighs tingle in the most irritating way as he sat with his legs folded under him. Ivan had it better off with the way he was sitting. A little jealous and growing more uncomfortable by the second, Yuri finally let go and Ivan went tumbling backwards onto the bed.

“Hey.”

“You were heavy.”

“It was cozy, admit it.” It was in a way. Physically, though? Not very.

“Are you going to sleep here?” Like it was really any question. Ivan's eyelids were drooping and he looked like he could barely move now. Besides, he didn't want him to go outside while it was getting late. Also, he just wanted him there.

Ivan shrugged a shoulder tiredly. “I will if you'll let me.” Of course he would let him. Ivan used whatever strength he had left to turn down the covers and crawled under them, then pulled them up to his neck as he put his cheek down into one of the pillows. He cracked open an eye to peek up at him. “Are you getting in?” he asked. When Yuri made to pulled back the covers on his own side, Ivan fixed him with a stern (yet tired) face.

“What?”

He pointed – all the way from his head to his toes. “Your clothes are still on. Don't do that again. You're just going to get too hot.”

He was glad that Ivan was showing him some concern and that was cute and all, but... Oh, fine. But just the pants and jacket. After that, he got under the covers and Ivan was still looking at him seriously.

“Can't I ever sleep with you naked? Or do I have to put it on a wish list and wait for Christmas?”

He could have it his way. It didn't bother him so much as long as he was under the covers now anyway. He took the remaining pieces off and threw them next to where he put all the rest of their clothes and couldn't help the smile he got at such a stupid thing. _Their things._ Did that make this their bedroom now, too?

“Whatever you want.”

As he drifted asleep, he thought he heard Ivan tell him something... like, _”You may regret that.”_

 

When he woke up, he was already regretting it. There was a warm spot next to him but Ivan was gone and, notably, so was his shirt. It figured that he would have to be completely naked when he woke up this time. No matter what Ivan wanted, it still felt so weird to sleep like that anyway. Ivan had been plenty warm, though...

Rolling out of bed, the first thing he did was spot his pants and pull them back on. He would get dressed properly in a minute or two. He wanted to know what happened to the rest of his clothes, first.

He had the feeling he would go downstairs and it would be déjà vu all over again. Like he expected, as he walked through the hallway and made his way down the stairs, he could smell something like breakfast coming from the direction of the kitchen. More than likely, Ivan would be gone and there would be another adorable hand-written piece of fanfiction stuck to his refrigerator, pancakes on the table.

Part of that was right. There were pancakes on the table and there was Ivan sitting there eating them himself, making gratuitous porn faces with each bite he took.

“I know I'm the one who made these, but oh my god, they're _so good._ ”

So that was where his shirt went. Ivan looked really good in it, especially if Yuri was allowed to believe he wasn't wearing anything underneath it.

“Pancakes, huh?” He took a seat in front of him and picked up his fork. He still felt self-conscious about how he looked, but he figured that the pancakes would probably do him some good.

What a strange night that had been. He woke up feeling a lot more clearheaded about it, especially when he was able to see Ivan looking so happy and at home at his table, his shirt hanging off his shoulders.

'Perfect for each other'? Ridiculous.

He laughed, making Ivan give him a confused face. He put a bite of pancake in his mouth to excuse him from having to explain anything.

Maybe they were.


	6. Honey is Sweet But the Bee Stings

_If he’s going to just sit around on my desk and wait for me, then he should get on top of it and I’ll-_

That was where this started. It didn’t even have to be a complete thought, but it was something like that initially that made Yuri calmly stand up from his desk and start clearing things off it. Ivan had given him the most confused face and asked him why he was cleaning up already when he still had at least an hour of work left to do. He sounded a little excited as well, like he thought he was going to drop everything just to be with him, but...

Well okay, that was sort of what this was. He couldn’t ignore the fact that there was usually no spontaneous reason for fucking Ivan on his desk whenever the thought crossed his mind usually, so it would be a complete waste to not take advantage of a situation like this where it actually made sense.

Ivan was sitting on his desk, bored. Yuri was behind the desk, bored and frustrated and wanting Ivan _off_ the desk if he wasn’t going to let him work in peace.

This would work out nicely. The work he did at home could wait anyway.

“I’ll leave you alone if you want,” Ivan offered, sliding off the edge of the desk, standing up to brush the wrinkles out of the back of his pants. “Or are you done? You’re done? I hope you are.”

Ivan never concealed what he was thinking. It would be such a helpful skill for him to learn as someone with the power to deceive, but Yuri found it endearing under the circumstances. “I’m not done,” he said, placing the last book he had on the desk back neatly on the shelf. Only his teacup remained which... gave him an idea. “Things can wait for now, though. Work gets done faster when you have a clear head anyway. There’s no point in trying to force myself to work when I can’t think.”

Ivan frowned. “I was distracting you? My bad...”

Yuri knew that once he took his eyes off Ivan, he’d be grinning. That one was definitely a lie; he wanted to distract him from the start.

His thumb traced the edge of the cup and he grinned slowly as the ideas turned like gears in his head. The second he started loosening his tie and sliding it from around his neck, he could see the change in Ivan’s eyes. He went still and he watched him with that innocent fascination that still impressed Yuri.

“Ivan,” he started. Ivan stood up straight and clicked his heels together attentively. “Take your clothes off and get on the desk.”

“Yessir!” He had his hand to his forehead in a salute, but it fell a second later when the words hit his brain. “Oh wait, am I really getting on the desk? Is that why you cleaned it off?”

“Yes, that is exactly the reason.”

“Ah... Okay. I’ve always wanted to try desk sex.” Yuri was really glad about that, considering how much he had thought about it as well. “I’ve written it a few times and it always sounds hot in fics. I don’t know if I’ll like the flat surface, but we’ll see!” Yes, they would. As he talked, he continued to remove his clothing, going from top to bottom until finally, he reached down and pulled both of his socks from his feet.

Yuri quickly checked the blinds behind the desk one last time just in case. He knew they were closed, but he didn’t want anyone getting a suspicious eyeful of his young lover standing naked in the middle of what wasn’t even a bedroom. (It was unlikely that there would be anyone even around his mansion, but... Paranoia had its ways.)

Ivan laughed when he saw him checking and Yuri rolled his eyes at him.

“I won’t ask,” Ivan said, trying to sound like he was being considerate.

He gripped the tie in his hands tighter - which reminded him - he was holding his tie and he had big plans for it. Beckoning Ivan forward, he slid the tie over his eyes and reached behind him to tie it just right at the back of his head. Ivan reached up to adjust it himself and Yuri slapped at his head.

“No touching.” Putting a hand on his shoulder, he turned him and guided him to the desk. Ivan felt along the edge and then got on top of it again. He wobbled a little unsteadily at first, his senses obviously distorted, but was able to safely situate himself on his back with his knees bent and his feet hugging the opposite end of the desk.

“Just slightly dizzy, but ready when you are,” he said, giving him a thumbs up.

Ready for what, though? “How much are you ready for exactly? There’s a lot I could do to you while I have you like this, you know.”

“Whatever you want,” Ivan said with a shrug of one bare shoulder. “You don’t have to go easy on me. I’m kind of interested in knowing what kinds of things you have in mind...”

There were many things he had in mind; so many that he knew it would be impossible to do them all without taking hours out of his day and he still doubted that Ivan could last _that_ long yet. He was going to have to settle for perhaps just a few of the ideas he had and the start was going to be tying Ivan’s wrists. For the other things he had planned, he knew it was in his best interest to make sure Ivan couldn’t interfere.

“I’ll be back in just a minute. Stay there.”

“Like I can even see to stand up...”

With that, he went back to the bedroom and fished around until he found his necessary equipment. While he was there, he even got an idea or two and made sure to make a stop in the kitchen before he returned.

“Alright, hold out your hands.” He set down his items on the desk’s chair and picked up the thin leather rope he brought along with him. It was one Ivan had become particularly familiar with, as he could still see some lingering bruises on his wrists from where he started to struggle against it. He wound it around his joined wrists and made sure they were snug and secure, then pushed Ivan’s arms over his head.

Having him spread out like that made the muscles of his torso all stretch and Yuri was delighted to see the clear outline of each of his ribs. Unable to help himself, he ran his fingertips over them and passed over his nipples while he was at it, receiving some delicious moans from his bound lover.

“You’re just going to tease me now, aren’t you,” Ivan whimpered, shifting his hips. To Yuri’s surprise, he noticed that Ivan was already growing hard. It probably had less to do with any touching and more to do with how much he enjoyed being tied up now. As much as that pleased Yuri, he also really wanted to move on to his other plans before Ivan got himself too excited.

Yuri leaned down and bit lightly on his hip. “I am. That’s exactly what I want to do.” So much for not making Ivan more excited. He loved to be teased. With a sigh, Yuri shook his head and grabbed the next item from the chair; one thin black rope. It was tightly weaved and strong, but Yuri wanted to be a little gentle with him for the first go.

He started right under Ivan’s balls, holding them while he wrapped the rope around and made a little knot when he wrapped it around the base of his cock to hold it in place. The rope traveled up, going around the base and a little higher until he had to come back down to tie the end off. It was tight, but probably just enough to make it uncomfortable. Now that he was already somewhat hard, he would only be feeling more discomfort the more excited he got.

“I... think I see where you’re going with this,” said the one with the blindfold on.

“Funny,” Yuri said, pretty sure that Ivan had never read or even written about anything like this in any of his fanfics. A little first-hand experience would help him with his realism if he wanted to try it, though. “How does it feel so far? Tell me everything.”

Ivan brought his hands down and pressed his thumbs to his lower lip as his brow creased in thought. “It’s not bad. It kind of... stings? It’s the pressure of it, I guess. I kinda like that, though. Nothing hurts in a bad way at all.”

Maybe he should have tied it tighter. Yuri would remember that for the future.

He grabbed the next item: a short crop. The thing was a favorite of his. Barely a foot in length, its short size was good for delivering quick, intense pain. It was similar to the one that he had used on Ivan during their first S &M encounter, so he would likely know what to expect after the first touch.

That was why Yuri was aiming for the unexpected.

He ran the handle end over Ivan’s ribs, down his sides, swirled it around his navel. Ivan’s breath hitched and he still had a look of concentration on his face as he struggled to figure out what it was he was feeling. He was still relatively relaxed, which was good. Yuri flipped it around and finally gave one good smack to Ivan’s knee.

Ivan yelped instantly and it sounded like an epiphany. “It’s that thing! Hey, it’s been a while... Going for the knees again, are yo-”

No, not the knees. He cut off Ivan’s thought process with a swift tap to the head of his cock. It was really mean of him to go for the most sensitive spot first, but it was worth the sound it made Ivan make. He twisted and his elbows fanned out as he lifted his hips right off the surface of the desk.

“Should’ve guessed! Really should’ve guessed!”

True, he should’ve been able to guess. Yuri was surprised - he thought he was more perceptive than that. He liked being able to surprise him, though. Ivan was just the right amount of willing and just the right amount of naive.

In a minute, he knew that the binding of his was really going to start to hurt. He laid another light tap to the side of Ivan’s cock and watched it twitch. Ivan was trying to make it look like he didn’t enjoy it as much as he did, putting his face to the side with his cheek against his shoulder. With another tap to the same spot, Ivan bit down on his lip.

Repeated torment to the same spot was really getting a reaction. Striking a different place was even better when Ivan had been focusing on the same place for so long. Once he made one spot nice and tender, he moved his strikes a little lower and created a new sensitive place.

Ivan writhed across the top of the desk, trying to keep his feet planted in one spot while fighting the uncontrollable reactions the pain brought him. It wasn’t like Yuri had never experienced it for himself. He knew exactly what it felt like and it was exciting to watch Ivan enjoy it just as much as he hoped he would.

He stopped for a moment, then licked two of his fingers and ran them gently over the head, giving Ivan a brief break from his torture. Ivan took the opportunity to catch his breath and moaned at his touch. When Yuri pulled away his fingers, they were wet from more than just his own saliva.

Ivan was delicious. But he still had plans that would make him even more delectable.

“Do you want to get off?” he asked, knowing it was going to have an obvious answer. As he expected, Ivan nodded, but hesitantly, trying not to be too enthusiastic. “Just a little more first,” he promised. Instant gratification would do Ivan no good, after all.

He took his time, alternating his strikes from the one sensitive spot he created to the other and was pleased to finally see a tear travel down the side of Ivan’s face and drip onto the desk. He had his teeth clenched tightly but he couldn’t help the whimpering noises he made each time the crop came down and made contact. At the point that his sounds escalated to cries that filled the room, Yuri knew it was time to go easier on him... As tempting as it was to continue, he knew it wouldn’t be wise if he wanted to ever do this again.

Things just kept getting better though, and unwinding the rope from around Ivan’s cock was going to be the best part yet. He probably hadn’t been feeling as much as he could have before with the rope on. Having it around him guarded him from most of the impact the crop delivered and the tightness likely made him feel a little numb anyway and cut back on the sensation. Unwinding it meant that all that feeling was about to come back and the tender skin beneath would be even more delicate to the touch.

It was much like the feeling of standing up after sitting on one’s knees or like getting up from bed and noticing a crippling pain in your arm after accidentally laying on it in the wrong way all night. Except it was even worse because of where the pain was in Ivan’s case.

He literally screamed when he felt the rope being unwound. The first second wasn’t bad, but by the time he reached the middle of his cock, Ivan was howling. His face was flushed to his neck and his whole body shook and his hips jerked on their own accord, trying to get away. If the rational part of Ivan’s brain was functioning at all in that moment, he would have realized that Yuri was doing him a favor by taking it off all the way.

He just couldn’t help it that he wanted to do it slowly. The speed at which he did it hardly made a difference but the slow suffering was something he enjoyed far too much.

“Are you doing alright?” he asked, running one hand soothingly over Ivan’s stomach.

Ivan held his joined hands over his chest and gradually caught his breath and calmed his nerves. “I’m not sure I would call me... ‘alright’... but that was definitely something.” Every word came out around a hard intake of air.

Even after all of this, Ivan was still pretty hard. The gentle circles Yuri rubbed around his torso were probably easing him back. Unfortunately for Ivan (Or perhaps ‘fortunately’?) he wasn’t going to let him relax for much longer. After all, he had said that he wanted to get off and Yuri really didn’t want to be as cruel as to ignore that.

“Am I allowed to see yet?” Ivan asked. What a silly question.

“Of course not.”

“Of course... Right,” Ivan said sarcastically. With the twitch in his lips, Yuri could tell that he was rolling his eyes under the makeshift tie. Just because, he gripped Ivan’s cock - just lightly, though - and Ivan threw his head back into the desk top. “Sorry, sorry!”

He put aside the rope and the crop. He wouldn’t be needing either of those things now. For now, he set the items elsewhere, grabbed only what he needed, and sat down at the chair behind the desk. When he sat down, he realized that his leg was shaking anxiously and he put a hand on his knee to still himself. It was hard to have restraint when Ivan was laying spread out on his desk for him like a feast, though.

The bottle he held was uncapped and Ivan tilted his head toward the sound when he heard it. It was probably a familiar type of sound, much like the sound of a tube of lubricant being opened, but this was far from anything like that. Ivan wouldn’t be aware of that until he felt it, though.

The first dab of it on the tip of his cock probably felt no different than lube. It was gel-like, smooth, at first cool to the touch... However, when he added a little more along the length and began to spread it around with his fingers, Ivan probably became aware that it wasn’t the usual thing. The consistency was thicker and sticky and there was a little bit of coarseness. The roughness of it was enough to make Ivan start rolling his hips again; wanting to be touched, but afraid of whatever it might be. In a way, Yuri was glad it wasn’t too fragrant, but he wouldn’t have minded if Ivan knew what it was.

“That’s not lube, is it?” he asked.

“No, it isn’t. Do you have any guesses?”

Ivan stayed quiet for a second, thinking. “I don’t know. Is it edible?”

“It certainly is.”

“Is it honey?” Yuri just laughed in response and Ivan rolled his head to the side. “Should’ve figured! I think I know you better than I let myself believe sometimes.”

He probably didn’t know him _that_ well, though. He probably wasn’t expecting what he wanted to do with him at this point. Yuri was surprised that he had resisted this whole time when Ivan had such an adorable cock, but now that he was laying in front of him like this, unable move, looking like an offering, there was no reason not to.

He put his fingers around the base and glanced up to see Ivan wince, still so tender. Yuri’s mouth was watering already. He leaned down and brushed his lips against the head. Ivan breathed in sharply, surprised and confused at the feeling.

Yuri sighed through his nose and licked his lips, tasting honey.

He just wished that he could know what it felt like for himself as he moved in again and took him all the way into his mouth. With his lips forming a tight ring around him, he could only imagine the exquisite pleasure and pain Ivan must have been feeling. Although, when he glanced back up at him, his mouth still around his cock, Ivan just looked like he was... concentrating.

Oh, so that was how it felt.

Ivan’s red cheeks, the way his fingers were loose at his chest... Probably no matter what the sensation was like, painful or not, Ivan wanted to concentrate on the feeling of it. Yuri felt kind of proud about that.

He ran his hands over his chest while he continued, dragging his tongue over his cock to catch every bit of honey that remained. His lips were tingling from the sweetness when he pulled away, but he still wanted more. He retrieved the bottle and ran his other hand up Ivan’s side to his shoulder, then to cup his chin so that he’d know where he was going with this. Suspecting what he wanted, Ivan parted his lips and Yuri poured a little bit of the honey into his mouth.

Ivan closed his mouth for a second, letting the sweet taste of honey cross his palate and moaned happily. Yuri kept one hand on his cock, stroking him slowly while he leaned down to press his lips to Ivan’s. Their tongues met and caressed each other languidly, trading the taste of honey and sweat.

Against the pad of his thumb, Yuri could feel a bit of dampness from the head of Ivan’s cock as he loosely passed his fist over him. Breaking from their tantalizing kiss, he settled back into his chair and returned to his previous place at Ivan’s hips and took him back into his mouth. He could still taste honey as he sucked on his tender, sticky cock.

Above him, Ivan moaned throatily, his thighs tensing, his wrists fighting to pull from the ropes that bound them. The more he started to fidget, the closer Yuri knew he was to coming. Now wouldn’t be the time to tease him when he knew what he wanted to do with him next, so he continued at the pace that seemed to be drawing the best reaction from Ivan until he finally felt him go stiff.

Ivan’s feet nearly slid off the edge of the desk when he came, but Yuri held him down by the hips and made sure to catch every bit of his cum in his mouth.

As Ivan began to calm down, Yuri slid his mouth up his cock and got up from the chair. Leaning over Ivan, he tapped him on the chin and grinned when he obediently opened his mouth. He leaned down and pressed their lips together. He knew that Ivan could taste himself on his lips already and he didn’t even resist when Yuri slid his tongue into his mouth and shared the taste of his cum.

Ivan rolled his head back into the top of the desk, sighing after they parted from their kiss. His lips were red as well as his cheeks and Yuri watched with his own lip held between his teeth as the muscles in Ivan’s throat worked as he swallowed.

He wasn’t getting up yet, not even asking what he should do next; just waiting. This would be pretty quick. He wasn’t going to pass up such an offer.

Deftly, he undid the fastenings of his pants with one hand and took himself into his palm. One touch alone was enough to make him moan deeply. It was satisfying in its own way to just watch Ivan and do these things to him, but it left his pulse racing and the rest of him aching if he didn’t find a release for himself.

He put his other hand against Ivan’s cheek and tilted his head toward him, getting him a little closer to the edge where he stood. He worked his fist over himself quickly, wishing that he could keep himself from making such embarrassing sounds. That was just how desperate he felt, though. He was already so close and now Ivan had his face tilted toward him expectantly, his lips parted slightly, expression relaxed.

The moment before he came, Yuri silently wished that he had taken the tie off Ivan’s eyes first. As it were, he still covered all the places that mattered; going from one cheek to the other, crossing over his nose, reaching far enough to get a little in his hair. While he came down and worked to make himself presentable again, Ivan dragged his tongue over his lips and touched his face to clean himself up, licking the cum off his fingers.

Yuri released his wrists first and then untied the tie from behind his head. After being knotted, it was in no condition to be worn again without ironing, so he sighed and set it aside.

Ivan looked far too pleased after all that. It made Yuri happy.

“So, Yuri-san,” Ivan started, combing his fingers clumsily through his hair with fingers that probably felt a little stiff. “Do you have dinner plans for tonight?”

“I do,” he answered matter-of-factly.

He should have been ashamed of how much he enjoyed the crestfallen face Ivan gave him at his words.

“I do... So I hope you’ll be ready to leave in an hour.”

Ivan grinned and Yuri’s heart did this stupid, silly thing where it thumped harder. He was going to simply call it a heart palpitation for now. He was getting older and that feeling certainly had nothing to do with how cute Ivan’s face looked when he smiled.


	7. It's Better to Give Than to Receive

Yuri's reservations were for late evening. Ivan had never gone to a restaurant that late before. The few times a month he actually went to a restaurant instead of having ramen up in his room, Ivan never went out that late by himself. When he went out with the other heroes, it always felt like a party which had a totally different atmosphere. Going to a restaurant together with Yuri felt... Well, it felt like a date.

When the thought finally hit him that _Oh my god, I'm going out with Yuri to a restaurant_ , he at first felt nervous and then it only got worse when he started to suddenly feel under-dressed. This wasn't one of their spontaneous burger runs. This was a restaurant that Yuri had reservations for – for _two_ people, obviously. He thought ahead on this one and clearly did it with the intention of taking him out.

But really, he should have allowed Ivan the time to mentally prepare himself. All he told him was to make sure he was ready and when Ivan asked when the reservations were for, it sounded like he had a lot of time. Except then, Yuri explained that he wanted to be there ahead of time, not _right on time_ because apparently reservations wait for no one. Ivan wouldn't know. He hadn't been anywhere with reservations in his life. As far as he knew, Over-N-Out didn't do those.

Heart up in his throat, Ivan quickly dashed off to Yuri's bedroom and started pulling through his drawers, looking for whatever things he had stored at his house that may look better than his usual thing. He felt like such a failure, though. He left a lot of his favorite clothes over at Yuri's out of convenience nowadays, but he hadn't left anything that looked 'nice' for going out. It was all clothes that were good for watching anime or playing games in.

First thing was first: he had to take a shower after what Yuri had done to him with the honey. While Yuri was finishing what Ivan had interrupted, he ran into the bathroom and showered faster than he ever had before.

He came back to the bedroom with only a towel around his waist and shut the door behind himself. Not that Yuri hadn't... ever seen him naked before, but...

The towel was dropped to the floor and he stood there for a moment while he puzzled over whether he kept underwear at Yuri's. He didn't... think so. Although upon checking out the top drawer of his dresser, he found a clean stack of... character panties; the exact kind he had worn for Yuri when he dressed up in the cosplay of his MMO character. Each pair was a different style with different designs on them.

Ivan didn't even question why he had them. His only other option was stealing a pair of Yuri's and he couldn't decide which one sounded kinkier; wearing panties with cute kittens on them or wearing a pair of briefs that belonged to his... boyfriend.

That actually sounded tempting, if only because he knew he'd be thinking about it for the rest of the night until they got home, although he knew that such thoughts would just inevitably lead him to many awkward public boners. He took a pair of the character panties instead, but once he had them on, he remembered why he found them so erotic when he first wore that pair.

They fit him like a glove and clung snugly around every curve and left absolutely nothing to the imagination. On top of that, seeing his dick sounded by cute stripes and adorable kittens just _did_ something unexplainable to him. He had to force himself not to think about it, though.

If he really wanted a third option, it was going to be wearing the pair he had on before, which now had honey and cum on them. He hadn't really been thinking before he pulled them back on...

He held up his choice of pants and decided that a straighter leg was the way to go. What was with this horrible selection of anime shirts, though? Now that he was thinking about the kind of shit he wore, he was surprised that Yuri even managed to find him attractive while he was wearing some of these things. All he knew was that he couldn't go out wearing a shirt with Konata's face on it...

And then the door opened and Yuri walked in like it was his room.

Oh, right. Thankfully, Yuri hadn't looked at him upon entering, so Ivan covered himself up with the pants and shirt he was holding and tried not to blush too hard. 

“Find something to wear?” Yuri asked. He glanced behind himself and then did a double-take when he saw what Ivan was holding. He crossed the room with heavy steps and snatched the shameful Konata shirt from him, which left only a pair of pants as Ivan's cover. He wished he had heard Yuri coming so he could have put them on, but there hadn't been the time. “As cute as I find this, you can't wear something like this to the place we're going to.”

Ivan nodded and cleared his throat to try to sound more steady. “I know that... It would be embarrassing to wear something like that out to dinner where a bunch of people could see anyway, you know?” He didn't even want to think about how embarrassing it would be to have a whole restaurant know he was wearing girl's underwear.

The thought of something like that really shouldn't have been making his heart race in the good kind of way... Right? Had he really finally stooped to that kind of level? He'd get laughed off of any board and called a creeper or a lolicon if he admitted to enjoying wearing character panties.

But it was his interest, so that meant that it was nobody else's business anyway, so...

He didn't have the time to be trying to rationalize that. Yuri was opening his drawers again and looking through them with the focused intent of apparently finding Ivan something more suitable to wear. He gave up with the drawer items after a minute and went off to his closet. A second later, he emerged holding a hanger with a nicely pressed white button-up shirt. Ivan didn't even know Yuri would own such a shirt like that with short sleeves.

Yuri handed him the shirt and then went back into the closet and came out again with a shirt to go underneath and a purple tie.

“I hardly ever wear that tie myself, but it strikes me as your color,” he explained, to which Ivan couldn't disagree. He and the other heroes were practically color-coded now as it was and purple was 'his color'. He was glad it was a color he liked, at least. He couldn't imagine how much it would have sucked if all of his merchandise came in _brown_ or something.

The next time Yuri turned around to close the closet door, Ivan hastily pulled on the pants he was holding and buttoned them up. Yuri was none the wiser when he looked back at him and still looked at him in that way of his while he watched him put the shirt on.

If it weren't for the more casual pants, he would have looked like he belonged in an office, Ivan thought when he appraised his image in the mirror. Yuri approached him from behind and reached around to the front of him to straighten his tie. Ivan had to still the beating of his heart when he realized that they kind of matched.

“There,” Yuri said with a nod when he backed up. “You look acceptable now.”

“Just acceptable?” Ivan sighed, though he knew that he probably couldn't ask to be much more than 'acceptable' given his choices of clothing.

Yuri grabbed him by one shoulder and gently started leading him toward the door. “Would you I rather have said 'presentable'? You look...” His words paused but he kept walking down the stairs outside his room.

“Hm?” Ivan hummed, inclining his head back to the side to try to give him a curious look. “I look...?”

Yuri closed his eyes and sighed hard through his nose. “Nothing.”

Ohoho... That indeed _did_ mean something and Ivan felt assured that it wasn't anything negative either. He thought Yuri would be better at concealing his feelings than that, but he had basically given himself away by sighing and looking away from him like that. It was as if looking at him right now were just too much for him to handle. Short sleeves and a tie were a thing, huh? He should have known better than to dress him like that then.

As it was, Ivan already had his own method of tempting him later if he wanted...

After a short drive in Yuri's very nice car, they got to the restaurant where he had the reservations. There were lights on the outside, a little patio, people who looked like they had tons of money sipping drinks that looked like they cost tons of money. Even if he had the prestigious title of 'hero', Ivan didn't make enough to be like one of these people, so he felt awkward as soon as he stepped even one foot into the building.

Burgers really were his thing after all. And when the thought of that occurred to him, he feared that he wouldn't be able to even find such a thing as a burger on the menu.

A beautiful waitress guided them to the seat Yuri had reserved, which was apparently his 'usual'. Just how often did he visit a place like this, Ivan wondered? Not like he doubted he could afford it, but... He didn't understand the appeal of it yet at all. Maybe he just enjoyed the royal service they treated him.

This 'usual spot' of his was pretty nice. While they walked through the restaurant to reach it, Ivan was afraid of what the other patrons were thinking about them. He felt like sitting off in a corner alone if they were all going to stare at him like he was the young fling of judge Yuri Petrov who happened to be his 'benefactor' or something... Whatever they were thinking, it was probably horrible. That was just his conclusion. However, the table that he had reserved was in a fairly private spot near the back where they were partitioned by half a wall from the rest of the restaurant. The lighting was low and their table was angled in a way that allowed them to keep their business as _their business_ unless somebody decided to get up and invade their space.

Still, when they sat down, Ivan had a number of questions lingering.

“You're not, like... Afraid of people seeing me with you?”

Yuri picked up his menu and shrugged casually. “Not really. Not at this place, at least. I'm not worried about the people who regular here.”

Ivan leaned his elbows on the table and put his chin in his palms to think. When Yuri gave him a stern glare, he quickly removed his elbows and tried to keep them planted at his sides, reminding himself of what bad manners were. Back to his questions. “Who are these people then? Friends of yours?”

The quiet laugh Yuri gave was a little frightening. “Friends...” he repeated softly, turning the page of the menu as if he was sparing the word no deep thought. “Not quite. Business acquaintances. People below me.”

“And you don't think they'll have something to say about you after they see you with me?” He just wanted to be sure. As much as the thought of people talking about them embarrassed Ivan, he was more concerned for Yuri's position.

Yuri shook his head and put down the menu to look at him. “Did you not take a look around when we came in? At least five of the men here are with girls younger than you. One of them was here with _two._ They really don't have any room to speak about someone else.”

“So I _am_ just arm candy,” Ivan said, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, puffing up his cheeks like a disappointed kid. He wasn't being too serious about it, but... “Are you saying I'm just like one of those girls? You just wanted to take me out and show me off. I see how it is.”

He received a rather long-suffering look from Yuri, who allowed himself to put his elbow on the table and his chin in his palm and even if it was bad manners, hell if it wasn't super effective. Ivan felt that stare go straight through his heart and made him feel bad for even jokingly accusing him of such a thing. “I brought you with me because I want to enjoy dinner with you. I'm sure that's more than I can say for any of them.”

Yuri was his boyfriend now, wasn't he? Ivan was allowed to believe that if the thought kept recurring for reasons like this, right?

He sat back up and put his hands in his lap and looked down at the cover of the menu and just nodded. He spared one glance up at Yuri and his heart wanted to do a flying leap right out of his chest when he saw the smile Yuri was giving him. It was like he didn't even know he was giving him such a smile, otherwise he probably wouldn't have allowed it to happen. It was so _fond_ that Ivan had to grab the menu and prop it up in front of his face just to make him stop. That wasn't like Yuri at all.

He was used to him looking at him like he wanted to eat him – not take him _out to eat._

But that was exactly what they were doing. This was a date. Yuri was his...

The waitress came back around and Yuri had to wave her away for a minute because it was easy enough to tell by looking at Ivan that he hadn't decided on what he wanted. For starters, his menu was upside down.

Not like it mattered. He couldn't read Italian anyway. Even the parts that were in English were confusing to him because he still hadn't ever had any of these dishes. The names sounded way out of his league. There really weren't any burgers with four pieces of meat, were there...

“I'm pretty sure you'll like anything you choose here,” Yuri said, trying to assure him.

“They don't have burgers on the menu... Or anything Japanese, I'd assume.” He didn't want to disappoint Yuri, though. His tastes really weren't that limited... So he pointed at the name of some fairly tame-sounding chicken dish and looked up. “What about this?”

“Only if you like having your mouth set on fire.”

Apparently it was something unforgivingly hot. Ivan nodded sadly and Yuri took the menu from him and found him something that didn't sound like it would leave him in physical pain after putting it in his mouth. He was super glad for the secluded table again. His cheeks were heating up just thinking about what a kid he probably looked like to have Yuri choosing his meal for him.

The waitress came back a short while later and after she took down Ivan's order, he quickly asked for a glass of wine before Yuri could ask what he was up to. Except of course, he hadn't realized that he had to name a specific kind of wine and that... would have been awkward if Yuri hadn't casually told her to bring his usual.

Yuri still ended up asking him about it anyway.

“Wine?”

“I'm... I'm honored that you brought me to a place like this, but I think I'll need it to survive it. I'm just your average Over-N-Out visitor, you know. I'll take your word for it, but I'm still hoping that my food isn't going to walk off my plate here or something... And then there's the fact that the girl at the table over there has been staring at me this whole time,” he explained, inclining his head for a moment in the direction he was speaking of.

Yuri didn't turn to look, just shrugged one shoulder and relaxed back in his chair. “It's because you're cute,” he said. Ivan hoped that the light over them wasn't enough to let him notice how red his face was getting.

They got their food and a peaceful silence fell as they ate. It felt different from at home, though. Ivan was constantly reminding himself to look like a reserved, polite individual who was likely to visit such a nice restaurant. He usually had the 'polite' and 'reserved' part down naturally, but he didn't often have to keep his back straight or keep his fork on the right. Or was it... the left?

The dish Yuri helped him order was actually pretty good. He realized that he shouldn't have been so surprised by that, given the price of it, but price and appearance didn't always mean a food was going to taste good. It could have been beautiful and still been horrible to the tastebuds. He didn't like a lot of 'acquired taste' foods and fortunately, his meal had a lot of pleasant things about it that he already liked; chicken, a light sauce, some steamed vegetables. For something with an odd foreign name, it was really uncomplicated.

When the waitress returned, Ivan gladly took the dessert menu and prided himself silently on the fact that he already knew what many of the items were. He wanted to give himself a pat on the back because visiting all those dessert photo blogs had finally paid off in a way.

The Lemoncello Crème Torte. Suddenly, he felt like thanking Yuri ten times for bringing him here. He was going to enjoy this so much and he was going to be shameless about it, too.

Yuri ordered a slice of fudge-on-fudge-on-chocolate cake and made Ivan unsure of his decision for a moment with how good it sounded.

When the waitress returned yet again a few minutes later with their desserts, Ivan realized that he had played right into one of Yuri's kinks. Yuri himself, of course, had not gone without noticing this. While Yuri had a gorgeous, glorious slice of dark fudge cake in front of him, Ivan had its opposite; a delicate slice of vanilla cake surrounded by strawberries and topped with so much cream.

This was going all over his face. And he knew what would be the cherry on top. He'd been waiting all night for this.

His fork slid smoothly into the torte and he brought the first bite to his lips while he watched Yuri do the same. Ivan was deliberately taking his time, though. He didn't want Yuri to end up wasting any of his cake for any reason. Though if he found himself unable to finish it, Ivan would have been more than willing to eat whatever was left for him...

“Want some?” Yuri asked, holding out his fork with a fudge-heavy bite of cake toward him.

Ivan put a hand down on the table and looked away, trying his hardest to resist because it would be embarrassing, but... Yuri was so good at this. No matter how in control Ivan tried to be, he always...

He leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the end of the fork, sighing through his nose when the fudge hit his tongue. “That's so good,” he said around a moan. When he licked his lips he could taste the chocolate frosting. The way Yuri stared, he knew immediately that he'd already gotten it somewhere else. He pawed at one side of his mouth and Yuri pointed to the other side. He licked the chocolate off his thumb.

Yuri smirked and it looked like he enjoyed the next bite of cake a little too much after his lips had touched that fork. “You seem to have relaxed,” he said, startling Ivan.

It wasn't that he was relaxed. His initial fear was that he would spend his whole night thinking about the fact that he was wearing girl's underwear. It's not like it was intentional. It was just how things had worked out but he had been so convinced that it was going to be the focus of his night. Instead, it just lingered there at the back of his mind while the rest of his thoughts were consumed by trying to act like a good date.

That sounded like a good lead-in. “Actually,” he started timidly, “feeling like I fit in here wasn't my first concern. It just kind of took over my thoughts as soon as I walked in. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be, though... But my first concern was how I was going to sit here all night wearing a pair of these kitty panties.”

Oh, so Yuri had some fight in him. He put up a good resistance, trying to act as though Ivan's words hadn't just gone straight through him as soon as he heard him say it. His expression was unusually blank and controlled though, which meant it would be easy for Ivan to push one domino over to make him crack.

“They're pretty tight.”

He didn't care now if anyone else heard him say something like that. It was ambiguous enough if someone hadn't heard what he said to kick it off. Just as he thought, that was the perfect little breeze that brought Yuri's fire to life.

Yuri set down the fork with a little _clink_ , his lips drawing into a tight line as he looked at Ivan, giving him a serious face. “You're serious?” he asked. “And you didn't tell me about this to start with? You...” Oh wow, he paused. “You put them on yourself?”

It was Ivan's turn to shrug. He sat back and took another sweet bite of his torte, tasting the light flavor of lemon with vanilla. “I don't have much to wear at your house, you know. I would have felt weird re-wearing what I had on before. I know I'm kind of lazy sometimes, but I won't go that far. I had to find something clean to wear.”

Yuri nodded slowly and picked his fork back up. “I see,” he said.

Was he just going to ignore him now? No, no, no – this was a _chance_ for Ivan and he was going to enjoy it. As odd as the thought had started out knowing that he was wearing girl's underwear, he loved that it got to Yuri so hard. He was going to ride this horse where he wanted while he still had the reins.

“Now that I'm thinking about them again, I can't stop noticing it...” Yuri leaned forward imperceptibly and paused with his fork raised. “It's not like I want to be thinking about it and if I don't stop somehow, it's going to get noticeable.”

Yuri put the fork down but now it was obvious that Ivan's words had left their effect. “You're doing this on purpose,” he said.

“Do you not believe me?”

“That not it,” Yuri said, shifting slightly in his seat. “I believe you.”

“Oh, so then...” Ivan was about to continue that thought another way. Underneath the table, he slid his foot out of his shoe. The socks he had on were soft, silky dress socks that were unquestionably a borrowed part of Yuri's wardrobe. The shoes he wore with the grey jeans were casual flats, so the socks may have been a little nicer than necessary, but they felt really good. If they felt that nice on his feet, then he had no doubts they'd feel nice sliding over other places as well.

He tried to keep his expression unreadable as he brushed the back of his foot against the inside of Yuri's ankle, testing the waters. “It happened unintentionally, but you like it, right?” he asked.

Yuri sighed and placed the fork back down again. Ivan had to resist laughing because it was getting a little funny how often he kept picking up and putting it down. “If I had it my way, I should have... Well, that's a plan for another day,” he said, alluding to something that piqued Ivan's interest.

“Oh?” He slid his foot a little higher, rubbing his socked toes around the curve of Yuri's right calf. “Does it also involve wearing something secretly under my clothes? I think I'd like that more than what I have going on right now since I didn't plan on it.”

“Do you like them?” Yuri asked quietly, eyelids lowered slightly.

Like them? Hmm... “I guess? The way they feel is distracting, like I said, but I actually prefer when I get to... look at them myself.” If he had to keep talking like that, he was going to end up with a visible problem, like he explained earlier. He tried to steer the conversation away from himself, pressing his foot more insistently into Yuri's leg, playing with his pantleg between his toes. “I wonder what you'd look like in a pair of these.”

“Never going to happen,” he said, way too adamantly. Ivan knew that it likely wasn't in the cards, but hearing him say it like that made him feel disappointed anyway. Yuri in little kitty panties would sure be a sight to behold, though. Maybe he would have to try his hand later at some Yuri Petrov fanart to perfect the mental image.

“Well... When we get back, I guess you'll get to see me in these, though. That counts for something, right?” He already knew that it counted for something when Yuri didn't answer. He bit his lip and folded his hands on the table. Ivan took that as an invitation to raise his foot a little higher. When his foot reached his inner thigh, Yuri jumped and startled Ivan and he nearly ended up jerking out of reflex. He could only imagine the scene that would have occurred if he accidentally kicked him in the balls or something.

...Maybe Yuri was into that, though. Maybe _he_ was into that. Yuri sure made him realize he was into a lot more than he even thought before. It didn't sound that bad when he considered the kind of thing that went down in Yuri's office before they went to the restaurant.

While he let himself ponder that, his foot sort of moved on its own, sliding around Yuri's thigh, massaging as gently as one's foot can. He switched from one thigh to the other, uncrossing his legs and sitting back in his chair so he could reach Yuri a little easier from whatever angle he wanted. It was ridiculous, right? Even if somebody saw him with his foot up in Yuri's lap, nobody was really going to question whether he was doing something indecent under the table.

It wasn't like it was the first time they'd done something in public before either. Sort of. It was behind a locked door that time and it was a lot more private than this, but...

Why didn't he get to see Yuri like this more often? Was it because he was blindfolded most of the time? Man, that was really ruining his fun if Yuri always looked like this. His cheeks were flushed, which stood out nicely on his pale complexion, his lips parted and looking a little rosier compared to their usually sullen color, probably from biting them.

His fingers spread out wider on the top of the table the closer Ivan's foot got to its destination. Once his toes finally found the curve of his cock through his pants, Yuri's fingers were stressing the tablecloth, digging in with his nails but not pulling at it just yet.

“Ivan...” he muttered, glancing up at him from under his lowered lids.

“Hm?” Ivan hummed innocently, rubbing over the front of his pants.

“What do you think you're...” It was pretty obvious what he was up to. Yuri tilted his chin and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, then gave a long and hard sigh. He apparently didn't see a way around the question, though. “Do you really expect to make me...”

“Your alternative is walking out of here with an awkward boner. That's what you get for... not stocking my underwear in your drawer.”

“That's ridiculous,” he said, the end of his word cracking when Ivan pressed the ball of his foot a little harder into his cock. “Like I could help that. What you put in my drawers is your business. Or... Ah...”

“They're you're drawers. It's your business.”

So it seemed it was getting hard for Yuri to think. Ivan hadn't known that Yuri had such a breaking point. Or maybe this was what he should call his 'melting point'? He had been slowly defrosting that controlled exterior of his and now he had him melting in the palm of his hand. He didn't know how much more it would take for him to come, but Ivan knew that if it were him in this type of situation, he would have succumbed already a few minutes ago just from the thrill of the embarrassment.

“The waitress will be back soon,” Yuri tried to remind him. He used the hand that wasn't gripping the tablecloth to push his dish of half-eaten cake forward so he could rest an arm against the table. Like that, it was easier for him to press forward into Ivan's toes without looking too suspicious.

Reminded more of his cake than the impending arrival of their waitress, Ivan picked his fork back up and continued to eat his torte. He sat back comfortably and rubbed his toes up and down the outline of his cock, going from the head down, lifting his foot, then going from the head down over and over again. From the unsteady breaths Yuri was taking, he could tell that he was liking that method a lot. Ivan was just proud that he had that much control over what his toes would do.

He was totally getting it on his face again, huh... He couldn't really feel it, but he could tell when Yuri had his eyes on him like that. He reached with his tongue to the corner of his mouth and tasted cream.

“If I...”

Ivan tilted his head, another forkful of torte halfway to his mouth, and waited for the rest of the sentence but it never came. He finished the rest of it in his head and assumed that he knew what he was asking. “You're wearing black pants,” he said. When embarrassment quickly flashed across Yuri's face, Ivan figured that he had it right. “It's better than walking out of here with something more noticeable, get what I mean?”

Speaking of noticeable... Ivan looked down and cursed his own body's reaction to this. He nibbled his cake and willed his body to behave, but that only sort of worked. There wasn't anyway to help it when he had Yuri in front of him panting and making indecent faces in public. Something about that felt out of place and he suddenly realized...

“You're going to do unspeakable things to me when we get back, aren't you?”

Yuri grinned wickedly, like that had been there in his head that whole time. Now getting hard was totally unavoidable. Yuri was going to punish him so hard for this. This was the best plan he had ever accidentally made. He leveled up from Genius to Ero Tensai in one night without even trying.

Thinking about what he was going to do to him must have been what did it. Yuri lifted a hand as if he'd bite down on it, but stopped halfway as his shoulders tensed and his teeth clenched. Ivan gently continued stoking his toes along the front of Yuri's pants until he felt a bit of dampness through his sock. He pulled his foot away carefully and slid it back into his shoe, making the promise to himself to wash the sock _and_ the shoe later.

The waitress chose this as her time to magically return with their bill. Ivan quickly forked and devoured the last remaining strawberry piece and handed her his plate. Yuri was sitting on his side of the table with his fingers locked and pressed to the bridge of his nose looking kind of intimidating.

“He'll take the rest of his in a box,” Ivan told the waitress.

While she went off to get that, Yuri snatched the book for their bill out of Ivan's hands. “I know what I'm going to do to you,” he said, quickly scribbling out a check. “There are actually a lot of things I could do. But I feel in a way as though I should be praising you...”

“You should,” Ivan said, nudging their toes together under the table. “I learned from the best.”


	8. More Than Meets the Eye

New fic!! New pairing!! omggg  
 **_origamically**  
Okay, you guys. I've decided to try something a little different. I'm not sure how you're going to react to it, so just... Yeah, whatever. I'm standing behind it because I like it a lot and I just hope that you like it, too. Something happened recently that made me start shipping these two together for some reason and this is just what happened. I couldn't help myself and had to write about them. Enjoy?

 **Title:** More Than Meets the Eye  
 **Author:** _origamically  
 **Pairing:** Lunatic/Origami Cyclone  
 **Rating:** NC-17  
 **Warnings:** Sort of dubcon-ish...  
 **Summary:** Origami develops an obsession with Lunatic after their first meeting.

It was extremely tempting to put no summary at all. It was hard enough to explain why he wanted to ship the two of them together and even harder to come up with something that didn't either sound obvious or unlikely. He puzzled about it for longer than he had to (way longer; like fifteen minutes) but ultimately gave up when he couldn't think of anything better. They were going to get what he was giving them and the fic could just speak for itself. Whether they would like it... Well...

He wasn't about to let the world see this story until he was sure it was perfect, though. For a long time, he thought his eyes were all he needed to proofread his fanfics. Whenever he looked back at them after a while though, he would find hideous, glaring typos and other errors that he somehow missed the first time. Deciding that this was one time where everything _had_ to be perfect, he took the story to the only person he would trust as his beta.

It was evening and Yuri was downstairs in the living room. Ivan was laying on his bed and it wouldn't be that far to just get up and take his laptop over to him to ask him personally, but it took him another ten minutes just to get the courage to send it to him and ask for help. He knew that Yuri read his things, but for some reason, he felt very childish all of a sudden. Yuri made fun of people who wrote fanfiction and he was writing about their two favorite characters...

No one seemed to know more about Lunatic than Yuri, though. If he was going to write a convincing Lunatic, then Yuri would tell him if he was doing it right.

So instead of waiting for a reply first, he sent his request to stophavingfun with the fanfic file already attached, then buried his face in the pillow he was holding as he waited for his reply. It came back faster than he expected and his hopes fell to a message back so quickly. He opened it up.

re: ...beta?  
 **stophavingfun**  
I'M BUSY WHAT IS IT.

Oh... Oh, and now Ivan felt even more childish for sending it to him. If Yuri was doing something that involved work then that was probably a lot more important than his stupid fic. But... Maybe if he explained how it might interest him, then he'd take a look at it.

re: ...beta?  
 **_origamically**  
It's got your favorite hero in it. And he's doing my favorite hero. Er... Well, you know what I mean. ( ´ω`) You wanna read it over for me, right? I mean... It can wait until you're not busy. No rush. Take your time. If you want.

Not even a minute later, Ivan heard footsteps on the stairs and the door opened and Yuri sat down on the bed with his laptop. He sat up against the headboard and it was like he was intentionally ignoring Ivan. From his shirt pocket, he pulled out a small pair of reading glasses and slid them on smoothly.

“Um...” He was confused about what this meant. He glanced at his inbox but there wasn't anything new. Then he looked back at Yuri who was still staring intently at his own screen. Ivan rolled over and scooted himself up to be next to Yuri and leaned over enough to check out his screen.

“It's your story,” Yuri explained.

Ivan looked off immediately to the opposite corner of the room to pretend like he was actually looking at the dresser or something and not his screen. “I see,” he said. “Yeah. Like. You have time now to read it?” If memory served, Yuri was busy _just a minute ago._ And now he was going to sit there and read this painstakingly long fic that involved him doing sexual stuff with one of their enemies and _oh man._

“I thought you'd like it if I were here to help you with it,” he said. He was totally grinning, though. Ivan knew that he was doing this just to mess with him because he knew it would embarrass him to see him picking apart his stuff right in front of him.

“Right,” he said, trying to act cool. “It'll be faster to edit it that way if you tell me as you see them. I'm not imposing though, am I?”

“No. What I had can wait. I feel like taking a break right now anyway.”

Ivan didn't know what to do with himself as he sat and watched Yuri slowly read his story. It was fifteen pages. The bulk of it was just explaining how the two met each other again and then the last portion was about how Lunatic seduced Origami Cyclone. Ivan thought the two halves flowed seamlessly together, but Yuri had many details to point out to him while he read that left Ivan feeling less than confident in his writing abilities.

By the time they were done, he wasn't sure if he ever wanted to write fanfiction again. Even if he fixed it all to Yuri's liking, he still wasn't sure that the internet was prepared to ship Lunatic and Origami. If posting that Tiger/Barnaby fic was like a gamble, then this was Russian roulette. This one shot could ruin his reputation.

He considered posting it anonymously but with Yuri staring at him impatiently, he didn't feel like he had much time to think about it.

“Just... tell me what you thought of it first,” he asked, staring down at his repaired post. “I fixed everything you told me to fix, but that was... a lot. I-It's bad, isn't it.”

Yuri pulled down the glasses a little and massaged the bridge of his nose. “It's good,” he said at last.

“Good?” Ivan asked, his face brightening, feeling relieved to hear Yuri say so. There wasn't any question about it, either. Ivan could tell when he was serious.

Still, his brow was creased slightly and he was still scrolling up and down, going back and forth to seemingly re-read parts. “This just sounds a lot like...”

Ivan didn't dare finish that sentence. It was unintentional, but now that Yuri made him realize it... It was a lot like he had written about him and Yuri. Other people wouldn't be likely to notice it, but now he felt ten times more embarrassed for showing it to him. He wasn't comparing Yuri to Lunatic or anything, but the way they interacted and a lot of the things they said were suspiciously similar.

He looked down at the sheets and played with them in his hands.

“It’s, um...”

“It sounds a lot like them. Well, you and... what I imagine Lunatic to be like, that is.”

“Oh, for a second there I thought you were going to say that it sounded like-” Ivan wisely realized that he should stop voicing the thought before he let it all out. It was embarrassing enough now that he realized how carried away he had let himself get while writing.

Yuri simply stared at him, giving him a curious expression, but Ivan had the suspicion that he knew exactly what he was going to say to start with. It was probably what he was going to say himself and he was just trying to be nice by not pointing it out. Yeah... That was what he was up to.

Laughing nervously, Ivan rolled back over to his laptop and returned his hands to the keys. “I’ll post it now. Thank you for your help.”

“No problem,” Yuri said. He closed the lid of his laptop and held it under his arm as he stood. “Back to work,” he said, pausing to give Ivan a nod goodbye as headed out the bedroom door.

A part of Ivan felt like giving a relieved sigh with him gone. Normally he felt extremely relaxed around him, even when he had him tied up or whatever, but having him right there reading his stuff so critically felt... Well, it could have been worse. It wasn’t the same as if he had handed his fic off to someone else. He just cared a lot about what Yuri thought.

He still questioned that summary, but his brain was so preoccupied that he couldn’t be bothered to try to think of anything better. It would all just have to do. There was one little detail he felt like adding, though. Right there below the summary, he made another little note:

 **Beta:** My thanks to my boyfriend for beta’ing for me!

Ivan grinned. Initially, he had felt a lot of internal turmoil over that word, but after thinking about it for a week or two very seriously, it started to feel okay - _right_ even. Seeing it in writing did special, embarrassing things to his heart.

If he left it unspecific like that and didn’t put a username or anything, then Yuri wouldn’t have anything to get mad about, he figured. Looking it over for the umpteenth time, he finally pressed _post_ and let the internet have his story.

He pushed himself up onto his knees on the bed and clasped his hands together, staring at the fresh post. It wasn’t like he should sit there and wait, but... He really wanted to know what people were going to say about it. Maybe it was because of all the personal value he had in it. Since a lot of it felt like it mirrored his own unique relationship with Yuri, it felt like he was letting people judge _him._

The realization of such a thing almost made him want to delete it immediately. Taking a deep breath, he tried to still his heart and calm himself down. There was no way to tell what people would think until he got reviews. That was all. There was nothing to worry about here. Everybody would probably love it anyway and Yuri just told him that it was really good.

Yeah. He had that kind of ability. He could make people like even the craziest of ideas. All he had to do was present it convincingly.

...But the worry that he wasn’t convincing enough kept creeping in. The urge to delete the post was still strong. He started wishing that he had posted it anonymously first just to test the waters before he dove in head first. The sharks would surely eat him if it was crap and nobody would read his things again and-

There as a new message in his inbox.

A little (1) showed up at the top to draw his attention, notifying him that his thread had received a comment. He stared at it for a second, unsure of whether he really wanted to encounter his fate this soon. How had somebody even managed to read it that quickly? Did they only make it through a paragraph before they couldn’t take it anymore and had to stop? Or had he really been sitting there that long already, worrying...

It was just fandom. He had been in so many worse situations as a hero. Like meeting the real Lunatic, for instance. Some random internet person’s opinion couldn’t be worth worrying about so much.

Feeling a little more than ridiculous then, he clicked the inbox tab and felt a renewed wave of apprehension come over him as he clicked on the message which was sure to be a comment on the story. His breath was held as he scrolled to the bottom and had to read the comment twice before the text became words in his head.

 **OMGILOVEPORNnBL**  
OMGGGG are you serious???? i swear i was just thinking about this ship for some reason... idek. maybe you read my mind. anyway, this was so good and you made it make more sense than i ever could have! lol i really hope you continue with this as a series. i wanna know if lunatic and origami keep meeting like this now. love!

Whoa. Alright, so he had one fan so far.

He refreshed shortly after reading and another comment had appeared; this one in response to the first.

 **barnabyfan67**  
Hm... Okay, I’ll give it a read then. I’m not sure I understand this pairing, though. Maybe it’ll convince me, we’ll see.

Ivan had his fingers crossed that it would. Rather, he wasn’t so worried about people ‘understanding’ the pairing as he just hoped that they could enjoy the story without having to think too hard about it. If that got in the way of their enjoyment, then he’d failed.

He knew he was going to die soon if he didn’t get more comments, though. After a number of minutes went by without any new word, he worried that worse than getting bad reviews would be to receive none at all. He’d rather have some negative attention than no attention at all. 

His wish was granted upon his next refresh. And it just figured who it was from.

 **stophavingfun**  
I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YOU’RE RUINING MY FAVORITE AND NOW YOU’RE PROBABLY RUINING ORIGAMI CYCLONE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. WAY TO GO.

What.

 **stophavingfun**  
P.S. BOYFRIEND?!

Was this really the same person who had just proofread his story a while ago? When he turned on the capslock, his attitude really seemed to change sometimes. It was easy enough for Ivan to laugh off the first comment as Yuri being the usual stophavingfun, but the second comment made him wonder if he should be concerned. It was probably just the capslock, but...

His fingers hovered over the keys as he thought about how to reply. Ultimately, he shrugged and wrote what he felt.

 **_origamically**  
Baka~ You know who I’m talking about. Does that word embarrass you or something?

He didn’t want to be too direct and ask him if he mind that he call him that. Nobody knew who he was aside from his friends and the only person besides him who knew what Yuri was in real space was Karina. His reputation online as stophavingfun was probably important to him, though... Even if it was all about trolling.

The time after his comment was awkwardly long. Yuri could have gone back to his work and was ignoring the post for all he knew. He could have been doing a number of things, but then he heard the familiar sound of footsteps climbing the stairs again and Yuri reappeared in the bedroom doorway.

He stared at Ivan and Ivan shrugged. “Did you not want me to credit you?” he asked.

Yuri still had on the glasses for some reason. His hair was a little messed up and out of place.

“Well,” he started, “you didn’t exactly credit _me_... Not directly.”

“Did you want me to?”

Yuri stood there, looking like he wanted to say something. Apparently the words weren’t coming, though. Maybe it was hard for him to come back to reality after spending time in Capslock Mode. He seemed to be at a loss without his keyboard now. There was a word that Ivan knew for the way Yuri was acting right now...

Tsundere. But high on the ‘dere’ side. Ivan was afraid he was going to get yelled at for it at first, but now he was freaking out a little on the inside for a different reason since he had never seen Yuri looking like that. Well... he had, somewhat. Like that one time when he got worried about him...

His heart sped up at the memory of it.

“Y-you can have a seat or something,” he said, patting the open spot on the bed next to where he lay.

Yuri sat down on the offered spot and kept his legs hanging over the side of the bed. “What I meant to say earlier was that... the way you wrote them reminded me of us,” he said without looking back.

Ivan felt his whole face lighting up and he fought not to make a sound. He knew he should have listened to what his intuition was telling him earlier. Yuri really had seen what he had seen in it and he was just too nice... or possibly too nervous to say it. They had that side of them in common.

“Is that bad?” he asked. He really didn’t want his story to sound like a self-insert thing now. That would be crossing a line he had promised himself he would never cross. They just had some things in common with the heroes in the story. It wasn’t a big deal, right?

“It’s fine,” Yuri said, easing Ivan’s nerves, “as long as no one starts to notice it.”

All that blood in his face drained when he refreshed and saw the next few comments. “I think it might be too late for that.”

 **OMGILOVEPORNnBL**  
lol omg you two are just like them. _ori, is he your boyfriend?? lol (i kind of ship you two anyway, can’t lie!)

 **barnabyfan67**  
That was really good. I’m surprised, but I think I want more now...  
But anyway, are you two going out or something? What’s going on here...

 **pikapika**  
idk if I could ever see these two working out in real life, but you made me like it, _origamically! Good job!  
(You guys are just rivals, right? But I wonder who this boyfriend is... lol!)

Right, now his friends were going to start wondering who the mystery guy was. He could always just laugh it off and say that he was refering to a friend that way and it was just to be cute, not serious. Although, he really didn’t want to lie. Lying about Yuri now that he liked him so much would be painful - not just to him, but probably also to Yuri.

Ivan was ready to fire off his next comment to try to stop them from spreading rumors (no matter how true they could be) but Yuri reached over and closed the lid of his laptop. He looked over his shoulder at Yuri who was now laying partially on his side next to him, his face very close.

“No need to give them more to talk about,” he said, holding a finger up to his lips. “Not when you could be discussing the next chapter with me.”

“O-Oh... The next chapter...” He swallowed hard, feeling the symbolic weight of the words weighing heavily on his tongue. “W-What should the next chapter be about?”

“I don’t know. I’m interested in finding out how Lunatic is going to manage a relationship with Origami Cylone now, though.”

“Not the other way around?” he asked. He thought for sure that the story would be from Origami’s point of view, but maybe that was just his own bias as the real Origami Cyclone. It was hard to think of what Lunatic was like, honestly. His few encounters with him left him thinking he had a screw or two loose, so he ended up writing him like Yuri. He was glad Yuri wasn’t offended by that comparison so far.

“The hard decisions are probably for Origami to make. But what if Origami found out Lunatic’s identity? That’s what I’m interested in.”

Ivan thought about it and then shrugged, happily rolling over against Yuri’s side, throwing his arms around his waist. “If he’s anything like you, then I bet Origami wouldn’t have any problem!”

It was nice to feel Yuri wrapping his arms around him in return, placing his chin against the top of his head. The comments to his thread sounded good so far in their own way. He wouldn’t worry about it too much for now. Being held like that, so close to Yuri’s chest, he felt like there were few things worth worrying about anyway.

“Sometimes I wish you had NEXT powers. Then you could be a hero and I could ship the two of us in stories for real,” he said, laughing against Yuri’s shoulder. “Nobody would know!”

“It’s practically like you’re doing it already,” Yuri sighed.

“Ah, that’s true. True indeed.”

He pressed his cheek to Yuri’s chest and closed his eyes. It was getting late and he would only be causing himself more undue stress if he kept thinking about the comments. Closing his eyes for a few minutes sounded pretty nice... As long as Yuri didn’t have more work to do. If he was there with him still, chances were he probably finished already or didn’t mind.

“I bet your powers would be... something warm, like Fire Emblem-san’s or Lunatic’s. You’d have a really useful power like theirs that could help people.” He laughed softly. “But you’re already a judge. Even if you don’t have powers, you’re doing it right.”

“Do you think Lunatic is helping people?”

“I don’t know... He thinks he is... But I’m not sure he’s doing it the right way. I’m sure Origami Cyclone could show him how it’s done, though!” Tiredly, he threw some imaginary shuriken off his palm with a quiet, yawn-interrupted _shu shu!_

He felt Yuri place a kiss against his forehead as he started to fall asleep. As Yuri’s weight slowly lifted from the bed, he thought he heard him whisper, “There’s a lot you’ve shown me already.”


	9. A Sheep in Wolves' Clothing

Yuri had spoken some fatal words without even being aware of it.

He was impressed that their relationship had stayed so... interesting. Before, Yuri didn't even think it was possible to be with someone for longer than a day or two without tiring of them but Ivan was different. Months felt like they had passed in an instant with Ivan. Every time was made interesting by Ivan's curiosity and willingness to try new things. Even things that Yuri thought were getting old became new when it was with Ivan.

But he knew that 'new' couldn't last forever. While Ivan had been mysteriously maintaining that virginal air about him, Yuri still feared the inevitable day when his experience would really start to show. (As much as he wanted to believe that the 'inevitable' wasn't as inevitable as it would logically seem.) He decided that there was one conclusion he had to come to.

It was time to let Ivan decide what to do.

It sounded like dropping Ivan into the middle of a foreign situation. There were a lot of sexual scenarios he had taken to like a fish in water when Yuri left him to it, but this would be like removing the water entirely.

He thought he could say this would be like a very early Christmas present. That way he would have an excuse to relinquish some of his control and he could see how Ivan would feel about it at the same time. Little did he know, Ivan was a very creative person and it was that creativity that was going to get him into an interesting situation.

Come to think of it, he didn't know what he was expecting in the first place. He brought it up very casually as he was cleaning up one night; said with the same voice he would ask Ivan what he wanted for dinner with.

“Next time, you can choose what we do.”

That was anything. It was a Pandora's box of endless choices. Maybe he had been expecting Ivan to look surprised or even overwhelmed. The reaction farthest from what he expected was _excited_ and that was what he got. Well, at first Ivan seemed thoughtful. It was one of those slow motion moments where he first had to register what was being said to him, processed it, then apparently he arrived at Excited after those few short mentalexercises.

“I have a great idea!”

It was cute in a way. At that point, Yuri still didn't know what to expect from him on their next time. All he knew was that Ivan seemed pretty enthusiastic about whatever the idea was. As well as they got along in bed, Yuri was aware that many of their other interests still diverged, though. A lot of it was okay. Anime? He could watch it with him. Japanese food? It wasn't anything he objected to.

If he tried to transform into a twenty-foot monster with tentacles, he was going to have a problem, though.

He was giving Ivan about a week to plan whatever he was planning. That was fine because he had _work_ to do; work that had been getting ignored for a while as he tried to balance his day job with being an internet troll and maintaining his relationship with the forum's most prolific fanfic writer. He didn't want to think that Lunatic's purpose had been shoved into the closet along with the costume.

At least it hadn't made it all the way to the back of the closet yet. Then he really would have started to worry or consider retiring or something. It was bad enough how surprised the heroes seemed to see him 'back again' as if he had ever really stopped or went away. He tried to look on the bright side and took it to mean that they missed him.

It was also very fortunate that he didn't see Ivan among them. Either he was avoiding him for some reason or he was still at home working hard on this decision-turned-project. He didn't divulge many details about it, but he promised him a number of times that he would 'be a fan of it' – whatever that meant.

Apparently it was a poorly executed pun.

There were a few days where Ivan just didn't come over. He was online, but was away for a lot of the time and Yuri started to feel... Neglected? Lonely? Perhaps it was just the latter or a little bit of both, but he knew that it was interfering with what he really should have been doing. Instead of exacting justice, he wasted away far too much time staring at his computer screen listlessly waiting for Ivan to come back and give him more clues.

He was curious to find out what it was, but even more anxious to do whatever it was, even if he didn't know what it was he was wishing for.

Ivan showed up a few days later. Yuri should have noticed the significance of the date, but was instantly told the second that Ivan walked into the house and cheerfully wished him a _Happy Halloween!_

That gave two possibilities for Ivan's visit. He was holding a backpack, which either meant that he came prepared with his own candy and movies, or that was a bag of supplies for their 'festivities'. He really didn't mind if it was just a bag of treats. (The innocent kind, that is.) He wasn't afraid to admit that the prospect of lounging on the couch with Ivan laying on top of him sounded like a pleasant evening.

“I... tried to work on this myself first, but... Well, I should just show you.”

That was Ivan's first _real_ indication of what the plan had been and Yuri's thoughts began lining up the possibilities for what were inside the bag. Not that long ago, he'd brought over his own bag with things for Ivan to try on and now, the fact that it was Halloween was starting to feel very relevant to where this was headed.

Ivan grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to the living room. He had him sit down and then he ran off with his bag to the bathroom, presumably to change. Yuri wasn't going to be surprised if he emerged in a new and improved version of the costume he had of his MMO character. Waiting for him was taking a while, but he let Ivan take his time. Whatever he was doing in there was probably worth the effort anyway. No need to rush him.

He pictured him strolling out in a witch costume with a cute hat and a short, frilly skirt. That seemed like the kind of costume he would like to surprise him with. Yuri wouldn't say no. He really enjoyed Ivan's thighs, after all. Dare he say, he thought they were his best feature.

He also wouldn't mind a cute black cat outfit. He imagined how much fun it would be to bend him over his lap and hold his tail while he spanked his spandex-covered ass.

Reality was a lot more modest than he had imagined, though. On one hand, that meant that Ivan wasn't predictable, but then...

“Origami Cyclone?” he asked. The fact that Origami Cyclone had just come out of his bathroom was the only thing his mind could think and it was one of the most confusing things... He just didn't know what to say. What did this have to do with Ivan's plans? Was this just for Halloween? Where were his thighs?

“It is a visage you should be most familiar with, de gozaru!” Ivan (Origami Cyclone, rather) said, striking a classic ninja-like pose. He dropped the act to continue, holding up the backpack in his hands. “I have a costume for you, too. I thought we could... um... You know, like that time in the Buckstars, except with the costumes on.”

“Roleplaying?” Yuri asked, resting his weight on an elbow against the arm of the couch.

Ivan nodded wordlessly. Yuri lamented that he couldn't see Ivan's face from beneath the mask, but he knew he had to be doing some intense blushing and lip-biting. Roleplaying on its own sounded like something too embarrassing that Yuri wasn't sure he ever wanted to engage in, but then there _was_ that time at the coffee place, so Ivan had a good argument with that. Saying what he wanted to do to Origami Cyclone (...What 'Lunatic' wanted to do to him) was exciting for sure.

He sighed as he stood and caught the way his sigh made Ivan's shoulders slump. He brightened up immediately when Yuri leaned down and took the backpack from his hand, though.

He took a peek inside the bag and looked back up to Ivan who now stood a little taller than him with his unusual geta on. “Is this a Lunatic costume?” he asked, trying to keep a chuckle from reaching his voice.

“I... Like I said, I tried to make it myself first, but it didn't work out so I uh... I bought one instead. I hope it's alright.”

How bad could it be? He nodded and headed off down the hall to check it out for himself. If there was a hobby Yuri tried to keep quiet about, it was sewing and costume-making. He hadn't done it in a while, but there was something sort of _fun_ about putting on his own Lunatic suit. It wasn't his real costume, but he felt sort of excited to be trying on what Ivan had gotten for him.

Until he locked the door and pulled it out of the bag.

Compared to Ivan's Origami Cyclone suit and especially compared to his own real Lunatic costume, this thing looked extremely cheap – sweatshop cheap, as if it had been reproduced as a...

Oh Lord, he thought, bracing himself agains the sink momentarily as he felt a headache coming on.

Lunatic was a _Halloween costume_ now. This was definitely an adult size he was holding, but he had no doubts that there were children all over the city running around pretending to 'vanquish evil in the name of justice' as they went door to door for candy. There were probably dozens of little Origamis and Tigers all over trying to grab their candy bags, too.

The material felt like the kind one would normally encounter at a discount costume store. It was made for one night of wear. It was the type that would see holes in it within a week or less, the kind that suffered when being put through a sewing machine.

Yuri stripped and started to put it on just to see how far he could stretch the arms and legs before the seams started to fall apart.

He got it all on without it unraveling, but he still didn't approve of what he saw when he looked in the mirror. It was all too... tight. The pants clung to his ass and his thighs and if the top wasn't along enough to hide some of that, he would have been even more tempted to take it off and throw it out the window.

The pattern on the cloak was definitely wrong. It wasn't like he had a copyright out on his image, so whoever made it was probably just lacking a decent reference photo. Or maybe it was too complicated for sweatshop workers to sew. He considered his own face in the mirror for a moment combined with what he was wearing and decided that it made him feel like someone pretending to be Lunatic. Which was a really weird feeling, considering.

The more he stared, the more he got sick of looking at his own face. He reached back into the backpack and pulled out the last item, the mask. It was really only half of a mask without anything in the back to hide his hair. It was just a flimsy plastic thing. There was even a crack in the edge of it already, too. He knew that if he tested it too much, the crack would go straight across the middle of it and break it in half.

He picked at the crack for a moment idly and then put it over his face.

And then it fell off.

The elastic string around it was _way_ too long to be meant for any real person's head. Maybe they were trying to be “one size fits all” about it, but this was just excessive. He gathered some of the excess string in the middle and tied it together to make it shorter and then kept adjusting until it fit more snugly against his head.

He looked and felt ridiculous and the pants were bunching up around his boxer shorts in places.

He sort of considered taking off the underwear just to make it fit better, but that meant making them look even more obscene so he dashed the thought as soon as it occurred. He wanted to keep at least some of his dignity intact with this costume.

When he came out of the bathroom, he walked stiffly to the living room, tugging on the back of the pants constantly on his way there to try to make them lay flatter over his underwear. Ivan's surprised, gleeful “Ohhhh!” as he entered the room brought his attention back and made him pause where he stood.

“It doesn't look so bad!”

_Compared to what?_ Yuri wondered. Ivan probably had an idea of how it would look on him, so he was glad that he was exceeding someone's expectations, but it still made him feel ridiculous. It would be rude to ask how much the thing cost, but he really wished he could find a polite way of saying that it was terrible. It made him want to run off to the basement to put on his real suit, but that would just look... suspicious.

Unless Ivan would believe that he secretly did cosplay in his free time. Given the strange things that had happened to them before (like meeting in Fancy Sailor, for instance) it probably wouldn't seem so unbelievable.

“D-Does it make you feel like Lunatic?” Ivan asked, trotting over to him in his geta to touch the edge of his cloak.

There was an obvious answer to this. “No. Not really. It's a little...” He didn't want to be too honest and say that it was cheaply made, so he rolled his eyes under the mask and said instead, “tight. I think his costume is made out of a looser material. And this mask lets you see my hair so it's like it's giving away my identity.”

“That's true,” Ivan sighed. “Not many guys have hair like yours.” Yuri was sure that Ivan couldn't feel anything with his hands inside those metal gloves, but he still reached up and ran his heavy fingers through his ponytail with surprising gentleness.

At this rate, Origami Cyclone was going to be the one to seduce _him._ Yuri jerked out of his hold and paced around him to the middle of the living room, nervously running his hands over the front of the costume in the itchy gloves it came with.

“So how did you plan for this to go?” he asked. It didn't come out as the most graceful-sounding sentence but it was all he could manage while his thoughts were still stuck on the way those gloves felt against the back of his head. Shaking his head to get his thoughts untangled, he tried to explain further. “Did you think the living room was a good place for roleplay? If you really want this to be like the real thing, we'd have to... meet on top of a building somewhere, I believe.”

Apparently he was underestimating Ivan's creativity again because he was shaking his head like he knew Yuri would ask. “What about the roof?”

“... _My_ roof? Here?”

“Or the basement. You can tie me up and pretend that I'm your hostage.”

Despite having already done something like that, it did sound a lot different if Ivan was going to be in his costume. It was just the 'pretending' part that didn't appeal too much to Yuri. Writing about it and watching Ivan's reactions had been good, but he didn't know if he would like it if it wasn't real...

On second thought...

He turned back to Ivan in his Origami Cyclone costume and reconsidered the situation. This was actually as real as it could get. Despite this cheap, fake Lunatic costume, he _was_ the real Lunatic and this _was_ the real Origami Cyclone. He was a willing hostage of his, whether he realized it or not. This Lunatic mask was fake, but the real thing was still underneath it.

And he knew how much fun this would be now. As long as he kept his fire at bay, he could let him be as much like himself as he wanted. He didn't have to hold back at all.

He approached Ivan slowly, holding his hands behind his back innocently.

“My...” he said softly, voice as sweet and thick as honey. “Hostage? I already have you here, don't I? You came here all on your own.” He lifted his hands and ran them slowly over the sides of Ivan's mask, admiring its craftsmanship up close.

He could hear Ivan's breath stutter and he took a step back, somehow staying balanced in his ridiculously tall shoes, even on the carpeted floor. “I did? I don't remember agreeing to follow a villain like you b-back to your own home.”

“You're thinking too hard,” Yuri explained gently, continuing to stroke one side of his face. “It's been a process over time whether you realized it or not. I know you realize that I'm not your real enemy.”

Ivan shook his head furiously and swatted his hand away. “I won't be fooled by your evil ways, you... you trickster!”

Ivan was just acting, but his persistence to deny him was irritating. Yuri was a little frightened by his own instinctual response to it, as his hand whipped back on its own accord and his fingers curled around Ivan's neck. He still had enough hold on his own emotions to not let his flames get out of control, but he warmed the center of his palm just enough to freak him out.

Halloween was a good time to do some scaring and it seemed to be working on his little hero friend. His knees wobbled and his shoulders hunched as he tilted his head away as if he was wondering about the source of the heat.

Yuri renewed his grip around his neck and brought Ivan's attention back to him competely. He was thankful for the soft spot around his neck and wondered to himself why Ivan didn't do more to protect one of the most vulnerable parts of his body. Every other part of him seemed pretty well-armored. Holding him there must have been making him realize that.

“Follow me,” he said, placing the fingertips of his other hand beneath his chin.

He didn't have to say more. Even if Ivan wanted to continue the 'story' of this sudden encounter to give it a logical explanation for occuring, he wanted to see the climax of it just as much as Yuri did. It might have felt odd to Ivan to be 'in Lunatic's living room' for the beginning of this adventure, but he just didn't realize yet that he was standing in the _real_ Lunatic's living room. Not that that made it any less silly...

The basement felt much more sinister, at least. He unlocked the door and pushed Ivan in front of him through the doorway into the pitch-black darkness. There were some stairs there, so he still kept a hand on his shoulder just in case he tripped on accident and went flying – especially in those shoes. He was still amazed that he got anything done in those things. At least he had chosen to leave the worthless giant shuriken thing at home.

The door was closed behind him and he crept around Ivan , leaving him stranded by himself close to the entrance. He hadn't gone as far as to lock the door, but he imagined that it was still very disorienting to be stuck in the dark like that. Unfortunately for him, he didn't have the benefit of his real mask's night vision capabilities, so he had to make do with navigating the basement by memory, feeling along the walls to judge how far he was from what he wanted to get.

The front of his shoe bumped into something that made a scraping, clanging kind of sound and he knew he had arrived at what he wanted. Kneeling down, he felt along the item to be sure and then picked it up in his hands.

“Wh-what are you going to do?” Ivan asked innocently. “What is this place?”

Ivan could probably hear him approaching with the chains in his hands, but by the distance of his voice, it sounded like he hadn't moved one step from where he had been left. He jerked when Yuri grabbed his wrists from behind, probably not expecting to feel him coming up from behind him again like that. He opened the cuffs and buckled one around each hand to keep Ivan's hands behind himself. Luckily, they were adjustable, otherwise he worried that they wouldn't have been able to fit over the layers of metal and other materials covering Ivan's arms.

“Do you feel warm down here?” he asked, breathing close to his ear. Standing on one of the steps returned him to the same height he usually had over Ivan. “Can you see at all?” he asked.

“A-actually... I can see some stuff. You know, it's night vision so I can sort of see some things outlined in green, but-” He didn't want Ivan to go any further with that. The mask was coming off right now and he couldn't do anything about it. “Wh-what are you-?!”

He found where the mask would release in the back and slid his fingers underneath to open it. The touch of his hands, warm at the back of Ivan's neck made him shiver when his skin was revealed to the cold air of the basement dungeon.

“Now I really can't see...” he said warily. “B-but that means you can't see my face either.”

Oh, how much he wanted to shock him by lighting a flame to illuminate the room. There wasn't anything as pleasing as using his powers creatively like that. He promised himself that he wouldn't, though. Yes, this was a situation that was as real as it got – but he was still just playing a part. He was _playing_ himself, he had to remember. He didn't want to spoil anything before it was the right time to reveal himself.

...If it would ever be the right time.

He pushed him forward and heard Ivan land hard down on his knees. He yelled in pain upon the impact. Yuri lifted a knee and crushed the heel of one of his boots into the spot between Ivan's shoulder blades to keep him down. It was cruel of him and the pain Ivan was feeling was likely not the good kind, but at that moment, he just... It was cruel of Ivan to ask this of him.

It wasn't really his fault, though. He didn't want to hurt Ivan for the way the circumstances were hurting him. This was supposed to be a night of fun, wasn't it? He wanted to give Ivan treats, not tricks. Well – not the bad kind, at least.

Leaning down, he put his arms under Ivan and... My, the weight of the Origami suit was a lot greater than he expected it to be. Did that fall even really hurt with all of that padding or was he just acting again?

Huffing, he kicked Ivan in the side and noticed that it made more of an impression on his own foot, leaving his toes tingling like he'd just kicked a car's bumper. “This thing's hard as hell. You didn't really feel any of that, did you?” he asked spitefully.

Ivan laughed lightly, nervously, and rolled over onto his back. “Yeah, it's... it's a tough suit. You'd have to kick a lot harder than that for me to really feel it. S-sorry.”

Yuri wasn't sure why he was apologizing for that. Maybe he wanted to feel some pain just as much as Yuri wanted to give it to him. He got back down and rolled Ivan back over onto his stomach and grabbed onto the middle of the chains where his hands were bridged and lifted. Like that, he dragged him across the room with him, having to put some muscle into it to get him to move.

The uncomfortable whines that emitted from Ivan's mouth as he dragged him told him that he was for sure unable to escape from the strain put on his pulled arms. Yuri wet his lips as he approached the table that he knew he would come to in the middle of the room, thinking of the way Ivan probably looked with his arms stretched awkwardly above his back.

When he released him, Ivan sunk to the floor like a ton of bricks, just the way the suit felt, and stayed there with his face pressed into the ground.

“Get yourself up onto the table,” he ordered, running his hand along the metal edge of it. “I want to get a better look at the face of Origami Cyclone.”

Ivan obeyed to the best of his current ability, laying himself down across the table face-first and wiggling his way forward until he got his legs to follow him up. Yuri helped him with the rest, rolling him over with slight difficulty until he had him on his back. The chains were still trapped under him, though, and Ivan groaned as they dug too closely into his wrists.

“Good,” he purred. The next second, he flicked on the overhead bulb and flooded the dark basement with its light. Ivan closed his eyes, instantly blinded by it and swiveled his head to the side, trying to keep it from reaching his eyes. “Who knew that the one beneath the mask was so-”

“You've seen my face before,” Ivan said as if he were correcting him. Why was he correcting him? “Remember? There was that time when we were like, in an abandoned building or something. You took off my mask then...” He tilted his face back toward him and opened his eyes a fraction to look at him. “I thought we were establishing a timeline. N-no?”

Yuri suppressed a sigh and tilted the lamp away from his face slightly. “I didn't know this was a continuation of what we did all the way back at the coffee place. It's been a while so it's not like I even remember all of what happened that time anyway.” He was kind of lying. He remembered all of it and reread it once or twice just for the heck of it.

“Ah,” Ivan pouted, sounding a bit disappointed. “Okay, sorry. I'll try to act like that part of the story didn't happen then.”

Yuri furrowed his brows under his mask and let out the sigh that he had been holding in. “Right, do that please. In the meantime...” He left the table momentarily and paced around looking for something else that could move along their story as if the answer would be laying there on the floor for him.

“Where'd you put my mask?” Ivan asked.

“Over there,” Yuri said, pointing off to some vague place near the door or somewhere. A nervous habit, he lifted his hands to run his fingers through his hair but encountered the plastic of the mask against his fingertips instead. Frustrated, he threw off the flimsy thing and shook his hair free. He could already tell what horrible things it had probably done to his face, feeling sweat speckling his brow. He touched it gingerly and checked his fingers, just in case...

“Y-you have the bravery to show thy face b-before thee?” he heard Ivan stutter out behind him. He turned around and quirked an eyebrow, then chuckled at the ernest look on Ivan's face. He was also pretty sure that Ivan had just used 'thee' wrong, but he wasn't going to bother trying to figure it out right now. The important thing here was the way that chains and poor lighting seemed to turn him on inadvertantly.

Ivan wiggled his hips, barely able to move an inch now that he was stuck in the middle of the table. If he tried to get down, he'd have to roll himself off and would probably fall right on his face. The thought was at the same time pitiful and very adorable to Yuri, so he took some pity on him and silkily strode back to his prone form.

“What do you think of the face you see?” he asked, stroking Ivan's hair out of his eyes as he watched him take in his face. “What kind of person were you expecting to see?”

The unexpected happened. Ivan's breath caught and he blinked rapidly as if to ward away unwanted tears. “S-sorry,” he mumbled. “I just thought...” He laughed nervously, shook his head, and then looked back up at him. “It's just, in this crappy light, th-that outfit looks like it could be the real thing."

_What are you thinking?_ he wanted to ask, knowing the kind of answer he would get. But he didn't want the obvious answer. He wanted to know why such a thought seemed to have a home in his head now. Was this an expected scenario now?

He bent and captured Ivan's lips with his own, feeling like that was the best response at the moment. When he pulled away, he held his eyes and asked with a slight tilt of his lips, “Should I have left the mask on?”

“I-I don't know... Something like this would really change the story.”

“It would, wouldn't it. Well then,” he said, stepping back a few to retrieve the mask. “Pretend you didn't see that. That part didn't happen. The mask was just tugging on my hair and it was annoying me.”

Ivan laughed and nodded. “This outfit is more restricting than I thought, by the way. I don't know what you're going to do about the, uh, _pants_ or whatever you want to call them. Everything's kind of attached down there...”

“Hmm...” He traced his hands over Ivan's flanks, searching for any clasps, finding none. He continued lower to his hips, looking for what could have been a fastening to hold the 'pants' to the belt-like obstruction at his middle that kept him from the important parts of him. “I hope you haven't gotten too excited yet because I'm starting to think I won't be getting these off myself.”

Well that was... a real fun-killer. Nothing like not being able to even remove your lover's pants to take you straight out of a roleplay fantasy.

“You're right,” Ivan conceded sadly. “I probably should have thought this part through a little further first. I thought it might be a good idea because of Halloween, but maybe I should have just come over as a sexy witch or a cat or something instead.”

Yuri didn't want to break his heart by telling him that he would have preferred that. Right now, he just wanted to know how Ivan got himself out of this thing – or put it on, for that matter.

“If you're wondering, there's a thing I usually step into and it just slips the outfit on for me. It makes it a lot easier than doing it myself.” Oh. Well that certainly explained that in the most fairytale-ish way possible. “But I know how to take it off by myself. It's um... I'm not very graceful at it, though.”

“Show me how it's done then,” he said. “I'll undo your hands if you'll strip for me. But you had best not try anything else.” It was hard to keep a straight face with the plastic mask on as he said such erotic things. (To anyone else he may have looked and sounded like some type of horrible sexual pevert.) Fortunately, Ivan couldn't see his face and he took the command totally seriously. He rolled him over with a huff and quickly slid the straps out of the buckles on each wrist to free him.

Once he could feel his hands again, Ivan sat himself up the rest of the way on his knees.

Yuri pointed to the wall in front of the table, then used his other hand to tilt the lamp in its direction, casting a spotlight onto it. “Stand there where I can see you. I want to be able to memorize every detail of how this suit of yours works. Show me everything.”

Putting his palm on Ivan's back, he pushed him forward until he climbed clumsily off the edge of the table. As soon as he was off, Yuri hopped up and seated himself on the edge of it, letting his legs hang off the side.

Ivan timidly neared the wall and turned around when he got far enough. That innocent nervousness and hesitance that Yuri found so delightful was present in full as Ivan shifted his weight from one geta to the other and rubbed his hands over his costume-clad forearms. “I-I guess I don't have any other choice do I...” he mumbled quietly. The way he brought his thighs together left no question that he was growing hard underneath the costume.

There were buttons on the shoulders that Yuri hadn't recognized as buttons before, but when Ivan pressed down into them firmly, they seemed completely obvious. There was a hiss and a creaking metal noise and the shoulders and sleeves separated from the rest and expanded in a way that made it easy for Ivan to slide them right off his arms. He turned around and made sure to show him the hinges on the backside. Instead of buttons, they were like clips that worked in a similar way. Once they were thrown, the torso piece separated at the middle on either side under his arms and the two halves fell to the floor with a clatter.

“Turn around,” he instructed. His ears were red and he wanted to see the rest of his embarrassed face. Sometime, Yuri promised himself that he would remember to bring a camera. Ivan looking like this was worth always having to remember. When Ivan turned around to face him, he looked just the way Yuri expected; arms crossed in front of himself, knees pressing together anxiously, his eyes skittishly traveling to each corner of the room.

“Without your suit, you're just a boy, aren't you?” he asked, swinging a leg back and forth as his own anxiousness and arousal grew. “What would you do without your suit? What will you be capable of doing now that I'm making you strip yourself of your own protection?”

“I...” His hands had moved unconsciously to his waist where it looked to Yuri like he was itching to pull the release to remove what held him back from satisfying himself.

“You would do whatever I told you to do, wouldn't you? Because compared to my power, yours would be absolutely worthless right now. If I left you here without the light, you wouldn't even be able to find your way out.” Seeing the way his words were beginning to break into Ivan's mind, he decided to deliver the conclusion. “Take them off. Then I'll decide what to do with you.”

Not having to be told further, Ivan unbuckled the heavy belt that hung around his waist and placed it next to the rest of his items. He kicked them over to the side with his shoes to get them out of his way and then removed the shoes themselves while he was at it. It seemed like he couldn't get the things off him fast enough, anxiously pulling at the clasps that remained to slide the pants down his thighs.

Meanwhile, Yuri was memorizing every minute detail of his suit, along with admiring the body that was revealed as it fell away. Should a situation like this come to be the 'true end' for them, he wanted to know how he was to remove the suit himself. So wrapped up in what he saw, it took him a moment to even realize that he had already placed a hand between his thighs to idly stroke himself through the front of the costume's pants.

He had the briefest concern about the pants not being sanitary, but he shook the frivolous thought from his mind quickly as he saw Ivan remove the last bit to the pile he had created.

“Wh-what now?” he asked, blushing hotly from ear to ear.

“Isn't it obvious?” he asked. Although, perhaps it wasn't... Or perhaps Ivan just wanted to hear him say it to him. He knew that he liked to be ordered and took pride in receiving orders well, so Yuri obliged him. “I want you to touch yourself while I watch. Try to keep yourself standing, too. Remember, I have to be able to see everything.”

You would think he was forcing him to do something he hadn't been expecting with the way he continued to breathe hard and look so flustered. His cock was completely hard, though, giving away how turned on he really was by the idea of someone watching.

“Standing will be... a little difficult.”

“Do it,” he said. “Brace yourself against the wall if you have to, but I want to see your cock in your hand and I want to see you come.”

Ivan nodded, whimpering as he took himself into his hand. His thighs were twitching and there was a light sheen of sweat glistening over his brow that may have been because of the light shining on him. Yuri imagined that if he had his camera with him, this lighting would have made this scenario look like something straight out of one of those slutty celebrity sex tape videos. In a way, it would be like that, except a hero version, which, considering their status online and in the newspaper, would be very similar.

But he would never let go of something like that. If he filmed Ivan or took pictures of him looking fucked-out and covered in his cum, he'd be keeping those to himself. That would never leave his memory stick.

He eased down the waistband of his pants and put his palm against his cock, feeling just how hard he had gotten from watching him and thinking about the possibilities. Ivan was still trying to keep himself upright as he stroked his hand over himself, now squirming against the wall to stay up. His legs were shaking harder now, the cold air of the room doing nothing to bother his arousal, but possibly taking a toll on his toes. Yuri watched his throat work as he swallowed and breathed deeply, his hand moving swiftly over his cock with the aid of ample amounts of his own precum.

“Good boy,” he praised, just to see how it would effect him. It did more than he expected.

Ivan covered his mouth with one hand and sunk to his knees as he came hard into his fist. Yuri could see the way it spattered against his stomach with each pulse, but his hand and knees were still obscuring most of the precious view.

When it seemed that Ivan had calmed down enough to be able to listen, he spoke. “You ruined my view,” he said. Though admittedly, seeing him so desperate to come like that had made him quickly edge embarrassingly close to almost coming as well. “What do you plan to do to make up for it?”

Was that even in-character anymore? He wasn't sure, but Ivan seemed to care not. There was a determined look in his eyes now as he pulled himself unsteadily back to his feet and came back to where he was seated on the edge of the table. He dropped back weakly to his knees right there in front of him and looked up at him with a look that could only be described as both sated and hungry at the same time.

He took his cock into his hands and licked his lips, the only hint Yuri was given to what he intended to do before he dipped his head and took him into his mouth. He had to raise himself up a little more to get get his height level with the table but he managed well, able to keep his cock comfortably in his mouth without falling back down. His tongue slid smoothly along him and he sucked hard as if there were nothing he wanted more.

“Whoa,” he said, trying to ease Ivan back a little as he ran a hand through his hair. “No need to over-exert yourself.”

Ivan sighed, pulling back momentarily. He gave him _that face_ and dove right back down to take his cock completely in his mouth as if that were his answer. There was no exerting. He'd already been wiped out and now this was just what he wanted.

Watching Ivan obediently, hungrily devouring him was too much. There was spit rolling down his chin as his head bobbed as he worked his tongue around him and sucked and swallowed with wet, messy noises.

Part of him almost forgot he was wearing the hideous, tacky mask until his hard breathing made it impossible not to notice with the way it heated up and dampened his face. He lifted it enough to uncover his mouth to make it easier to breath and tightened his grip in Ivan's hair. Ivan moaned in response and the resulting vibration against his cock made Yuri tip his head back.

“You're disgusting,” he moaned, feeling along Ivan's jaw to where his lips were wrapped around him. He knew that Ivan was doing this more for himself than anything else, but just the thought of that was enough. He pulled Ivan back by his hair, sliding his cock from his lips. With a couple firm strokes from his own hand, he came across Ivan's face, leaving streaks from cheek to brow.

After that, he felt like falling right back against the table, completely worn out, but he had more dignity left in him than that. He stayed propped up on one hand and removed the shoddy cloak over his shirt to clean up Ivan's face.

Ivan sighed as he wiped at his cheeks, seeming as happy as could be.

“You had a pretty good idea,” he said. “It wasn't perfect, but you did well.” He considered what happened a moment ago and corrected himself. “You did very well.”

After he stood back up on his feet, Ivan grabbed the lamp and tilted it toward the doorway where he located his mask. “Ah, I'll be needing that,” he said, walking over to it to pick it up, still entirely naked. As as Yuri feared, he put it on without anything else on and strode back over to his pile of armor. Never would Yuri be able to forget the image of Ivan wearing nothing but the Origami Cyclone mask. He did it so casually, too...

“What are you putting those things back on for?” Yuri asked. He had rather hoped that they could go do that other plan he had in mind of Ivan laying on top of him while they watched a Halloween movie. He had other clothes as well. Regular, street clothes. Was there a part two of this adventure?

“We're going trick-or-treating,” he said, sounding like a little kid. “I can't believe I've never done it before in this thing. It's the best costume ever. People will think I'm really Origami Cyclone!”

“You are Origami Cyclone,” Yuri said, narrowing his eyebrows. “Look, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm well past the age of trick-or-treatin-”

“It's fine, it's fine! As long as you keep the mask on, nobody will know! And besides, your costume might help play down the realisticness of my costume.” Having pulled on the pants and geta, he clopped back over to where he was still sitting on the table and leaned down to kiss the part of his mouth that was still exposed, then fixed the mask back into place. “I-I know you don't owe it to me or anything, but I think it would be really fun just... just to w-walk around with you wearing these...”

That was possibly the most innocent thing he had ever requested of him; to walk together on Halloween night dressed as his favorite hero and anti-hero.

Yuri put a hand down on his shoulder. Ivan seemed surprised or possibly disappointed until Yuri used that shoulder as leverage to get himself off the table, then fixed himself back into his pants when he stood.

“Alright,” he sighed, going back over to the stairs. “I'll help you put on the rest in the living room.”


	10. Sparks Will Fly

Ivan turned the page of this month's issue of Hero Monthly, scanning it with faint interest before flipping to the next page. Beneath him, Yuri Petrov, his human mattress, continued to patiently read his own literature; a four hundred-some page book by an esteemed author. He had his reading glasses on and Ivan found the sight of him in his megane a lot more interesting than what he was currently reading. Whenever it seemed like Yuri had noticed him staring, he'd pretend to go back to the magazine, though.

He tried to situate himself a little more comfortably on top of Yuri on top of the couch, but wound up digging an elbow into Yuri's stomach. Groaning, Yuri closed his book, grabbed him by the elbow, and moved him around himself as easily as if he were posing an action figure. The resulting pose found Ivan with one shoulder against the back of the couch and the other nestling snugly against Yuri's side.

“This feels a little...”

Yuri groaned. He picked up his book and magically returned to his page without the use of a bookmark, which prompted Ivan to wonder if he had been paying as much attention to what he was reading as he had been.

Warm fingers of one hand stroked though the hair at the back of Ivan's neck while he kept the book up with the other. “You're warm, so you can stay there. Just don't jab me again.”

Promising him that he'd keep his limbs in check, Ivan shifted just slightly to get comfortable again and continued to the next page of his magazine. Laying like this though, it was hard to keep his head up to read. If he let his head rest back, he'd end up with his cheek against Yuri's shoulder, though...

He probably didn't mind if he wanted him to stay there anyway, right? Yeah. It was hard to imagine what Yuri was thinking sometimes, but it seemed like this was an invitation to rest his head on his shoulder. It was just going to end up there anyway if he didn't move himself and he got the feeling that Yuri would kick him off of him entirely if he tried to move again, so he just... let his head down slightly... slightly... until cheek was pressed up against his shoulder.

He felt like he was going to give away how embarrassed it made him feel with how hot his face was going to get, but he stayed quiet. If it seemed like it bothered Yuri, then he would just excuse himself in a minute or two...

Was this cuddling? Was that a thing they did now? Kissing and hugging were go, but cuddling sounded like something uncharacteristic for his regularly stoic partner.

One of Yuri's hands returned to Ivan's hair and his heart sped up so suddenly that he feared it was going to burst. He was petting him like this was a totally natural pose for them. This was definitely a sign that they were a real couple now, right? Only couples snuggled and pet each other's hair and...

Ah. His hand was traveling down his neck and that worked on Ivan in a surprisingly fast way.

“H-hey,” he mumbled against his neck.

“Hm?” Yuri purred, sounding like he was aware of how this was creating an unnerving mental predicament for him. “You're fine.”

“Oh. Yeah.” He tried focusing on the magazine with some difficulty. “Just... Your hand...”

Yuri hummed again and slid his fingers under the back of Ivan's shirt to drag his nails gently between his shoulder blades. Ivan wiggled, becoming more embarrassed that his own embarrassment was starting to turn into... something else.

Nerves alight, Ivan turned the page again. He could hear Yuri chuckle softly, proving that he was aware of what he was doing to him. However, when he looked back at the magazine this time, his attention was drawn to the article that dominated both pages. Behind the text on one page was a large photograph taken of Lunatic at night. The picture seemed to have been taken very close, which made Ivan fear for the paparazzo who snapped it, but then he realized that the article itself was actually an interview. With Lunatic himself.

“Hey.” Yuri turned his head to see what Ivan was looking at and sputtered, making Ivan grin. “Somebody actually got an article with your favorite! I wonder how they managed this...”

“Ah, that's...”

“Oh, did you see it already?” he asked, picking up his chin to look at him.

Yuri shook his head and put the book down on the arm of the couch behind his head. “I heard about some parts of it already. Online. I was meaning to check it out for myself. I want to see what the reporter had to say about him.”

“Seems sort of positive so far,” Ivan said, letting his eyes browse the bolded questions. They were pretty interesting questions. Maybe the guy who asked him the questions was also a fan or had known to come prepared. They asked him things about his values and what he believes is good for the city, which he responded to with answers Ivan felt like he had heard before. “This one's interesting,” he said, pointing to one toward the middle of the second page. “'Well?', it says, 'are you single?' Ha. What a question to ask Lunatic of all people. I guess that's a question that just comes standard with these magazines.”

“Hm.”

“'Why would I bore you with the details of my personal life?',” Ivan read, trying hard to imitate the voice of Lunatic. “'Though I must admit, I have been having a rather interesting and electrifying time with a certain young... (laughs) No. I'll let you imagine.'”

Ivan sat up and closed the magazine, laying it down on Yuri's chest while he pondered what he had read. “What a tease. I wonder why he said that much, though... For some reason, I feel kind of jealous.” He stopped abruptly and shook his head when he realized that Yuri might take that the wrong way. “Well, you know what I mean, right? It's that feeling when you find out that one of your favorite famous people is in a relationship.”

Yuri laughed softly and sat up as well, dragging Ivan into his lap until Ivan's back was pressed against his chest. “I know. I'd be jealous if I heard that Origami Cyclone were in a relationship...”

“Oh? You're the type who'd want him all to yourself, aren't you?”

“I am,” he murmured close to his ear. For good measure it seemed, he leaned in and nipped at the lobe, effectively turning Ivan into a weak-limbed mess in his arms. “I would also say our relationship is electrifying, wouldn't you?”

Ivan moaned loudly, for some reason the word 'electrifying' making his pulse quicken. He had the feeling this wasn't going to end in roleplay again, but he loved it when Yuri brought out the deeper, dangerous sound in his voice that reminded him so much of Lunatic. Ivan knew that he personally would never have a chance of sounding like him with his weak voice, but Yuri was a pro.

“I bet he sounded just like that when he told the reporter guy that answer. It kind of makes me curious what his relationship is with a certain young _blank_. I wonder if it’s a guy... Do you think that’s why he didn’t want to say?” he asked, laughing. “I wonder what his idea of an ‘electrifying’ time would be...”

“You like the sound of that?”

It was an interesting word. It made him think all kinds of things and made him wonder about what it could mean. For all that he knew, Lunatic was also some kind of expert bondage master in his free time with a dungeon like Yuri's. Man, he could picture that. It was also possible that he was a lot simpler than he was giving him credit for. Maybe he was the snuggling type. Maybe he was both. But snuggling didn’t sound like a very exciting time, so Ivan decided it was safer to assume that he was the type who liked to play on the dangerous side.

“Sounds... dangerous,” he said. When he looked back to see Yuri’s raised eyebrow, he clarified. “He sounds like the kind who would like to... You know. T-try some... dangerous stuff.”

Once his mouth started forming the words, he realized how embarrassing it was for him to say. It was one thing to let Yuri do all kinds of things to him, but putting it into words was always a different story.

“Dangerous?” Yuri asked. “I wouldn’t... How dangerous do you mean? Suffocation? Blood-play?”

“N-Not... Well, maybe? I don’t know. A-are you asking me what I’d be into?”

Yuri put his chin down on top of his head. “We were talking about what Lunatic would be into. However...” His lips returned to Ivan’s ear and his hands slid smoothly to hold his hips. “If you want to try something a little more daring, you know that I’m capable.”

_Daring?_ Well, he didn’t say ‘dangerous’, so Ivan didn’t feel like he had to worry. He never had to worry with Yuri. Still- But-

Why wasn’t he just admitting to himself now that he wanted to try all the dirtiest, daring things with him that he could? Honestly, he even had an idea in mind. The only problem was saying it out loud. It was silly to think that Yuri would judge him if he said it. It wasn’t like he was going to think it was odd or extreme like another person who wasn't as familiar with all the different kinds of... kinky things.

But he could just... say it. It was only one word. Maybe two if it were hyphenated. He wasn't sure, but he was going for it.

“E-electric stimulation.”

After a moment Yuri repeated him. “E-stim?” If Ivan wasn't mistaken, he sounded intrigued by the suggestion. Ivan didn't have any personal experience with it beyond videos, of course, but he had always been entertained by the thought of it. It was one of those kinds of things that sounded absurd for someone to even think of trying. Who just decides to electrify their dick? But then the videos he had seen made it look so _good_.

“I have no idea what it's like,” he admitted, bowing his head. “It... It sounds interesting to me, though.”

Yuri hummed again. While he was thinking about it, his hands were thinking on their own, though. Ivan shivered, feeling ticklish as Yuri's right hand traveled up his side. When his hand rose higher, his thumb rubbed over a nipple through Ivan's shirt, making him wiggle in Yuri's lap which _had to be_ what he wanted.

“It's sort of like that,” he said at last.

Ivan turned around somewhat, thigh to thigh with Yuri. “How would it... be anything like that? I-it goes on my dick, right?”

“It can go anywhere,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “All you're doing is applying electricity to a part of your body. It could be anywhere if you have the right electrode.”

“Electrode...”

“The thing you're putting the electricity into,” he explained. “It's hooked up to a box that lets you control how much electricity you receive. The feeling is like how I can get a reaction out of you even if you’re trying to resist. It’s something you can’t help.”

By now, Ivan wasn’t really trying to resist what Yuri was doing, though. He was actually quite enjoying the way he was rubbing both hands over his chest, leaning back against him, surrendering to his touch. He chewed his lip while he considered. Was Yuri really proposing that they try it? Did he even have the means for them to do it? He didn’t doubt it. The closet in Yuri’s basement seemed to hold many tricks and secrets.

“Do you... have one of these electrode things?”

“The electrode’s not really the important part - it’s the control box. You could hook up a number of homemade things as long as you have a box. But yes, I do.” Yuri moved to get up and lifted Ivan up with him as he stood, placing him back down on another cushion. Ivan didn’t get to have another word before Yuri was out of the room, presumably to retrieve this box of his.

Ivan assumed he knew what it looked like. It was just a little square thing with some knobs on it. It didn’t sound like it would take a genius to figure out how to use it, but he still curious about how the whole thing worked and felt. The porn he’d watched didn’t exactly provide instructions and commentary. The videos just had some of the most erotic moaning he had ever heard and the reactions the guys had to the machine left him very, very curious.

He sat on his hands and tapped his feet together while he waited, feeling somewhat nervous for his new experience. When a few minutes passed and Yuri hadn’t returned, he started to wonder if he was meant to follow him, but then came the sound of Yuri coming back up the basement stairs.

“Got it,” he heard him say before he even entered the room. When he returned to the living room, he held up a carrying case and a pair of leather cuffs for him to see, then set them down on the table in front of the couch. Kneeling down on the other side of the table, he undid the locks that kept the case closed and flipped it open. Inside were its contents: a square control box, a cable, two rubber loops, and what Ivan assumed to be a tube of lubricant.

Yuri held up the item in question as he laid out the case’s contents on the table. “This,” he said, “is electrolytic gel, which means it’s electrically conductive. You need it if you want this to feel right. One rule, though. Don’t put it in you and don’t try to taste it. It’s not regular lube. I don’t want to come home and find that you’ve fried yourself from the inside out or something...”

Ivan shuddered at the thought and realized that he was even still sitting on his hands when they began to sweat. Yuri probably just wanted to make sure that he was going to play safely. Really no different than when he was little and his parents told him not to run on the stairs unless he wanted to slip and crack his skull open.

Ha... ha... Yeah, that was frightening. Maybe it was the thought of something pleasureful going so _wrong_. On that note, a lot of the things they did had the potential to go wrong, but the key thing was that Yuri had the experience to make him feel much less worried about it. He didn’t even know if he would want to do this type of thing alone. Part of the appeal was that Yuri was the one with the control in his hand.

“Clothes,” Yuri said - just one word, but enough for Ivan to know what he wanted. He gave the windows one glance just to be sure and breathed a sigh, thankful that Yuri liked drapes and privacy. He knew that his house was far from the road, but still...

He took off his jacket, his shirt, his boots, socks, pants, underwear, and folded them all nicely at the end of the couch. He didn’t personally feel like he was in a hurry and Yuri seemed like he was in a very patient mood as well, content to sit on the floor with his hands folded on the table as he watched him undress slowly.

On the inside, he felt like he was in no rush, but the outside was another story. The longer he took, the more he felt Yuri’s eyes on him and could feel the effect it was having on him. Part of him was definitely taking his time because he enjoyed being watched, but now he also really wanted to find out what that electro-jelly was capable of.

“Do I sit or lay down?” he asked.

Yuri was looking like he was thinking, eyes trained on him but unfocused with thought. “Just lay down for now. I’ll have you put these on.”

He picked up the two rubber loops and handed them to Ivan from across the table. He accepted them, but didn’t know what he was supposed to do. Slip them... on?

“You can put both on your cock or have one behind your balls if you want. Doesn’t matter as long as both are on.” Ivan had the feeling it was time for another lesson in physics. “The two form the circuit when they’re plugged in.”

“Gotcha,” he said, sitting back down with the two loops in his hand.

Plugged in, huh... The loops were hollow with a clip around each that made them adjustable. Ivan blushed again as he felt Yuri watching him trying to figure out how to put them on. It wasn’t hard, but his fingers felt as rubbery as the loops with him staring at him. One loop was slid on and he tightened it at the base, the other about halfway.

“Don’t make them too tight just yet. You still need some of this,” Yuri said, holding out the gel. “You have to make sure there’s enough under the loops.”

Ivan was surprised that Yuri wasn’t climbing over the table to do it himself... But he knew this was going to turn into something interesting since Yuri had that look about him. He had a plan in mind that he wasn’t telling him. So long as it wasn’t anything that would get him electrocuted, Ivan was okay with anything, so he sat back and did as he was told.

Once the gel was applied, Yuri gathered up what remained on the table and got back on his feet. Ivan felt nervous just looking at the control box; as innocent and inconspicuous as it looked, he knew that it was probably capable of frying his precious bits. Yuri loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt as he stepped in front of the couch. He waved a hand to the side in a gesture that Ivan interpreted to mean “sit up”, so he sat up and scooted forward onto the middle cushion.

To his surprise, Yuri’s intention was to resume their position from earlier. He sat down on the end and slid his legs around either side of Ivan and pulled him up against his chest, into his lap. There was no complaining on Ivan’s side, just some surprise and some definite blushing.

Yuri held out the rest of the things in front of him. He laid down the box and cables on Ivan’s stomach and he watched him as he fiddled with the cuffs to get them open.

“Hm.” Reading his mind again, Ivan knew he had to be wondering where he was going to secure his arms. He’d ask if he really _had_ to wear them, but that practically guaranteed that he would be. Having them tied in front of himself was sort of pointless, so the only other option was behind his back. As he expected, Yuri took his arms and pulled them behind his back where he slipped the cuffs over his wrists and buckled them.

Ah, the sweet strain of his arm muscles...

“So I guess this means you’re taking care of the rest.”

He felt Yuri’s hair brush against his shoulder as he nodded. “Yes and I want this to be a completely hands-free experience.”

Ivan swallowed, getting harder just at the thought of what would be coming as Yuri gently wrapped his hand around him to plug in the ends of the cable. That was probably the only time his hands would be touching his cock and Ivan whimpered when he took his hands away.

Then, to his surprise, he felt Yuri’s lips on his shoulder, kissing slowly as he adjusted the loops and picked the control back up from his stomach and began fiddling with the settings.

“I-I’m kinda... surprised...” Ivan mumbled, dipping his head.

“Hm?”

“This position,” he said, wiggling against Yuri’s chest. He didn’t have his rear close enough to tell if Yuri was hard... Suddenly, he wanted to know. That wasn’t the point of him bringing up the position, though. It was just so... Comfortable. Personal. _Close._ Yuri had held him close before while they had sex, but for some reason, it felt different like this on the couch. His heart was beating too fast because of how affectionate it seemed.

Yuri huffed a laugh. “What better way to watch how you react? You’ll tell me when anything hurts, I hope.”

Ivan nodded for him.

“There isn’t much for me to do. All I have to do is push... one...” Ivan’s pulse waited for Yuri’s next move. “Button.”

Ivan’s legs straightened and and he pressed back against Yuri’s chest when he felt the first wave of electricity course through his skin. Then there was another and a moment later, another. It was definitely a feeling like nothing he had ever felt before. It was hard to even determine an immediate comparison for it, especially while his nerves were on edge each time he felt a new wave come.

“Good? It can go a lot faster than this.”

Good to know - but for now, this was good. He didn’t want to come too soon, which he totally would if he let Yuri turn it up any higher. The feeling was intense, the way anything was the first time he tried something new. For now, he just gave a tight-lipped “good” and tried to relax his shoulders.

That was hard. Yuri clearly had plans when he decided to get back in this position. The controls really didn’t need his constant attention. The pulses came in intervals, set to the program of Yuri’s choosing, which meant that Yuri’s hands were available to do horrible, wonderful things to his chest. He said he wasn’t going to touch his cock, but everything above his waist was apparently fair game.

Ivan would have called foul play if it weren’t wonderful, though. He really liked the way he bit his ear.

“Next time... tie my legs together.”

“Oh?” Yuri laughed, leaning down to give an approving nip to his jaw. “Mm. I’d like that, too.”

Ivan really, really liked this. The electricity, warm and tingling. Yuri at his back, admiringly running his hands all over him, murmuring obscene praises in his ear each time his body shook. The thing was, it was the kind of sensation that made him itch to be fulfilled. It made him feel like there was something _right there_ and if he reached out just a little farther he could get it, but Yuri was the one with the controls. No matter how he lifted his hips or shifted his thighs, he wasn’t going to be able to speed up the pace or increase the intensity.

“You want more?” Yuri asked teasingly, sensing his frustration. Combined with the way he was rubbing and pinching his nipples, it was some of the most agonizing pleasure he had ever felt. It wasn’t the way he usually came and it felt like his body didn’t know what to expect and didn’t know what to do to reach his orgasm.

Ivan was glad he wasn’t gagged, but didn’t know whether any amount of begging would get him anything. “I... I can’t... I want...”

Was that even his own voice? The last time he heard a guy sounding so helpless and needy was in a yaoi manga. He would have felt more ashamed - if he even had the mind to feel anything other than _want_ at the moment.

“What a tough decision. I really enjoy seeing you struggling like this, but I always want to see how you’ll be with a little more... Hm.”

If this was a low setting, then he knew that he could withstand a lot more than just this. Yuri was holding back just to frustrate him.

“What do you say?” Yuri asked, one hand running over his stomach, never going too low, the other hovering over the controls.

No thought, just, “Please. Y-Yuri-san...”

He focused his eyes to watch him work the controls. First, one button was pressed and Ivan noticed a slight increase in the intensity of the pulse. Then, he pressed another that changed the pattern of the pulses entirely, making them speed up and rest with an unexpected pace. His cock twitched, slowly dripping large drops of precum over his stomach.

It seemed that Yuri couldn’t help himself, dipping his fingers into the mess Ivan was making on himself, his fingers twitching, seeming to ache to wrap his fingers around him. Ivan struggled in the cuffs, straining his shoulders, wishing he could reach back and put his arms around Yuri’s neck, feel his hands running along the underside of each arm, wanting to at least be able to grab onto the couch firmly with both hands.

This was... more than what he expected. It wasn’t painful, but it was overwhelming. As the sensations built, he could swear that he could feel the electricity crackling everywhere, even down to his toes. When he lifted his hips, seeking the touch that was still out of his grasp, Yuri put both hands on his hips and forced him back down to the couch cushion.

“Ah-ah,” he admonished. “Good boys sit still.”

Lies, lies. He liked watching him lose control. Ivan let him know his frustration with a groan, tilting his head back against Yuri’s shoulder.

“Do you think you can take more?”

More electricity? Probably. More frustration...? He wanted to say no, but he knew that he could be pushed for a long time now before he really started to go crazy. It felt like they had been at this for a long time already, but in reality, it was probably only a few minutes so far. He really wanted to prove that he could withstand a lot, but if Yuri turned up the intensity any higher, he didn’t know if he would actually be able to keep hanging on. That extra inch felt like all he needed.

He nodded, unable to help himself. “M-more...”

There was one button to control the pattern of the pulses, one to control the intensity, and six little lights to show the level of the intensity. One light lit after three clicks of the button, each click adding gradually to the sensation, which meant that right now, he was only just up to... about six clicks, two lights. He was impressed that his head was clear enough to think about it, but all thoughts left his mind when the third light was lit.

That was definitely his voice, loud and embarrassing. The pulse hadn’t changed, but the intensity had gone a full stage up and he could tell. As long as everything was wired properly, he could go up to stage six without getting burnt, right...?

Stage three was starting to introduce a bit of pain beneath the warmth, the tingling becoming more forceful. He eyed the sixth unlit light wantonly and felt a little glad that he wasn’t the one with the controls in his hands. If it was up to him, he may have lost all self-control and ended up frying himself already.

“Good?” Yuri asked, leaning forward to stroke his hands over Ivan’s thighs.

Ivan nodded and could only gasp when he tried to speak. It was just right. Just a little more... He was getting really close now. It was probably the feeling of Yuri’s hands returning to hold his hips that sent him over in the end. He could feel his thighs shivering on their own, his toes curling, a his heart pounding so loudly that he could feel it in his head.

As he came down slowly from his climax, as did the intensity, toning down until Yuri reached the last click and it was off.

Now he just felt like a dead weight, limbs all loose, every muscle across every inch of him relaxed like rubber. That was... It was really good and made Ivan wonder if Yuri had any other things left in his special closet that he should know about. 

“Alright, you can have your arms back now,” Yuri said, undoing the buckles on the cuffs holding Ivan’s wrists together.

Ivan smirked. “Good,” he said,” because I’ve been wanting to do this.”

Even if his arms were sort of numb from the elbow down, his shoulders stuck, his wrists feeling weak, he used the first second he had his arms free to wrap them around Yuri’s neck.

“What...”

“Nmm.” Those weren’t words and weren’t really intended to be; just muffled sleepy sounds made into the shoulder of Yuri’s shirt.

“You’re still hooked up, you know. You’re going to step on the buttons.”

Oh, so he was right. He didn’t feel like suddenly getting some extra volts to his delicate parts, so he retrieved the box from where it fell off his stomach and placed it safely on the table, then rolled off the loops which had gotten kind of gross and sticky with lube. He made a sound of disgust as the second one came off, leaving a messy trail on his cock.

“Don’t get any of that on the couch,” Yuri said, staring intensely to make sure his upholstery wasn’t about to be ruined.

Ivan waved his hands at him and stood up, taking the cables along with him. “Fine, fine. I’ll just go wash these off- Oh wait... How do you...”

Yuri rose and took the items from him. “You should just go clean yourself up,” he said, eyeing the dried cum on his stomach. “Actually... Start the bath and wait for me. Don’t get in until I’m there. I’ll go handle these.”

“Right...”

He was trying to hold back his excitement. Yuri? Bath? Was he going to actually take off his clothes and get in with him? O-or was he going to roll up his sleeves and sit at the side of the tub and scrub him himself?

Kokoro doki-doki’ing in the most dazzling of fashions, Ivan picked up his clothes and ran himself off to the bath to prepare for further orders.


	11. If At First You Don't Succeed

Doctor's log.

In what seems to have been an effort to improve personal physical fitness, the patient has succumbed to exhaustion as a result of over-taxing his body. 

...Is what Yuri Petrov thought to himself as he surveyed the gasping, limp body of one Ivan Karelin who he had placed on his bed. Picking him up had been no simple and easy feat. When the doorbell rang, he took his time in putting away the cape he was stitching and put it back safely in his closet. Whoever was ringing the bell had obviously gone out of their way to reach his home, so they would have no problem with waiting a few more moments for him to leisurely take his time in reaching the door.

The bell hadn't rung again since the first time he heard it from his office. That wasn't really the suspicious part, though. When he opened the door, it seemed as though there was no one there. Then he heard the quiet sound of breathing and looked down to where he found Ivan slumped against the side of the door. He said his name, but... nothing.

How he had even wound up like this was still somewhat of a mystery, though Yuri was sure that he was aware of what the real cause was. Ivan mentioned recently that he wanted to try to climb higher in the ranks for the holidays. He liked the thought of being a strong inspiration for kids, but even more than that, enjoyed the thought of having special edition action figures of Origami Cyclone. Apparently that was a thing only for those at the top.

Yuri knew it wasn't about the action figures. He could tell just by looking at him that it was for a more personal reason than that. He thought he had been trying to help Ivan's confidence and yet here he was. After risking his own well-being to prove himself as a useful hero, he had gotten himself into such a condition.

Waking him was to no avail. Pulling him up by the arm was just going to dislocate something, so he knelt down and did his best to gather him up in his arms until he felt like he could stand while holding him and not accidentally drop him.

He was heavy, but the walk up the stairs was actually a lot less strenuous than he expected. If it wasn't just his imagination, he thought Ivan felt lighter than usual. Against the arm he had around his chest and arms, he could feel each of his ribs. The arm under his knees could feel how hard and bony they were.

He knew Ivan was thin, but not quite like this. As he looked him over on his bed, he slid his shirt up a little. It made him suddenly feel like a pervert, like he was doing something he shouldn't be while he was asleep, even though he had seen him naked countless times before. It was different while he seemed so out of breath and weak, though. Placing a palm against his bare waist, he knew that he had been right. Ivan wasn't built like the other male heroes, but he also wasn't what Yuri would have called weak before.

“Looks like your special training didn't work the way you wanted it to,” he said quietly to the unconscious Ivan.

“Yur... i.”

He was awake now? Yuri didn't want him to be. As much as he wanted to yell at him for getting himself into dire straits, he would have been happier if he just stayed asleep to recuperate and fix the stupid mistake he'd made.

One eye opened and Ivan looked up at him blearily through teary eyelashes. “I...” His lips sunk into a frown and pain crossed his face.

“Explain what happened later. I'm not going anywhere.”

It was fortunate for him that it was a Sunday. Had he done this any other day of the week at this time, there was no guarantee that he would have even been at home to help him. He knew that though, didn't he? To think that with whatever clear thoughts Ivan had left, he thought ' _I should go to Yuri_ ' made him feel... Important.

That thought left him feeling like he had to especially prove that he was worthy of that kind of trust then. As long as Ivan stayed in bed laying down, Yuri was confident that his condition couldn't get a lot worse. The damp November air outside would have probably made him sick on top of exhausted which would have been very bad, so he hoped that he hadn't stayed outside to make the journey to his house.

He stopped in the bathroom to retrieve some aspirin from the cabinet above the sink and moved to the kitchen to fill a glass of water. When he returned to his darkened bedroom, the room seemed quieter; Ivan's gasps turned into softer breaths through his nose.

Yuri knew he wasn't asleep. He seemed too stiff now for that to be the case.

“Relax. Take this,” he said gently, holding out the glass of water and his palm with the aspirin. “If you can't do it yourself, I can help.”

Ivan's cheeks already looked flushed, but they darkened even more at the suggestion. At that, he was suddenly acting more awake and Yuri couldn't help the soft snicker that escaped his lips. He apologized for laughing, but kept a mental photo of Ivan's weary indignation.

As much as his embarrassment pleased Yuri, it was cracked in two when Ivan reached up and missed the glass.

“Huh...” he mumbled, swaying slightly back and forth as he sat up to take it. His hand had gone right passed it, not even close to taking it. He tried again but this time, Yuri held it away from him and gently tried to make him stay put. Even if Ivan managed to hold the glass in his hand, Yuri was picturing the contents of it splashing all over the bed and carpet.

“I'll help. Don't think anything of it.”

Ivan nodded weakly and moved over a fraction to allow Yuri to sit next to him. He didn't even seem to have the energy to jump like Yuri expected when he wrapped an arm around his waist. He placed the aspirin in Ivan's palm, which he popped into his mouth. Thankfully, he didn't miss.

“Here,” he said as he held up the glass and moved it toward his lips. Ivan watched it like it was a trick from one of those 3D movies, leaning back, then forward to try to figure out how far away it was. “Stay still. I've got it.”

Ivan took a mouthful of water and tipped his head back, downing the medicine with an audible gulp. His eyes closed almost immediately after and he slumped back into Yuri's hold. He didn't want him to drift back off just yet, though. Who knew what he had endured? As far as Yuri could tell outwardly, he looked like he was dehydrated and he wanted him to finish the whole glass just to be sure.

He shook his shoulder gently with the hand that held him up and Ivan's eyes blinked open as if in surprise. “Ah...?”

“Finish it.”

Ivan stared at him miserably, his lips tightly sealed.

“It's an order from me,” Yuri said firmly. “I don't want to walk away and come back to find that you've shriveled up.”

Ivan made a face. Part of him seemed to find that funny, but mostly gross. “Got it,” he croaked. He reached out to the glass, sliding his hands around Yuri's as he brought it closer to himself again. The first few sips looked like they were an effort, but then the rest went down as if he couldn't get enough of it, making Yuri wonder if he should go get him another glass.

“...You sure drank that fast. Are you still thirsty?”

Ivan just put up a hand and slowly laid back onto the bed. “'m fine,” he mumbled. “Hurt all over. Wanna sleep.”

He proceeded to close his eyes and snuggle into the top covers and Yuri just stared down at him, somewhat amused at how despite his debilitating weakness, he still seemed to have the same Ivan attitude. He used up all his strength to get to his house and collapsed, and was laying there now looking like he didn't have anything to be concerned about.

If this was how it felt to have someone rely on you, then was this what it felt like to be one of the heroes? Yuri put a hand to his chest and used the other to lightly brush some damp hair out of Ivan's face.

Under the palm he held to his chest, he could feel the pulse of fondness filling his heart.

It was official now, wasn't it? Ivan belonged to him now, just as he'd wanted. He just hadn't expected this – to feel like he belonged to him, too.

Now wasn't a time to let himself start idling while thinking about something like that. If he started, he knew he could sit there for an hour or more just thinking about the implications such a thing had on his future. Meanwhile, Ivan needed him.

He smiled to himself as he stood, holding the glass in one hand. Brushing the wrinkles out of his slacks, he walked to the bedroom doorway where he paused for a moment to look back, just to be sure Ivan was really asleep this time. Satisfied, he left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen again.

He wondered how much truth there was in the home remedy of chicken soup. Really, he wasn't even sure if it would cure Ivan's problems, but it probably couldn't hurt. It looked like he had been forgetting to eat while he was doing whatever he was doing to get stronger and ended up running out of steam. A bit of hot soup would be sure to replenish that steam. If he managed to make him eat a bunch of chocolate-covered bananas that one time, then he had a feeling he could get him to eat some homemade soup.

It felt like a while since he made chicken soup. While he knew how to do it and technically had all the ingredients, he didn't have the most optimal ones. But maybe he was just being too picky. Ivan wouldn't care what kind of chicken he used, would he...?

Well in any case, he wasn't going to poison him. At worst, it would turn out _okay._ So deciding that his expectations shouldn't stop him from making Ivan soup, he went about gathering the ingredients from around the kitchen.

As he stood over the stove, stirring the soup, he realized that he had almost forgotten completely about what he was doing before Ivan arrived at the door. The moment he saw him there, repairing his costume became the farthest thing on his mind. He realized that he probably shouldn't think about it too symbolically, but it felt like that meant something.

He became so absorbed in his own thoughts again that he didn't even hear the footsteps behind him. The second he heard a creaking of the floorboards, he swung around with the ladel in hand and was immediately glad that any hot soup that dripped from it was directed away from Ivan's face.

“Ah... I'm sorry. I didn't hear you at first.”

Ivan's eyes were still a little wide and shocked, but he let out a breath. “N-no, I'm sorry. I should have said something first. I... didn't mean to sneak up on you like that. I'm sorry.”

“It's fine,” Yuri said, slowly turning around to return his weapon to the pot. He was glad Ivan hadn't thought anything of his reflexes. He could have accidentally smacked him right in the face with the thing if he hadn't just as quickly realized who was standing there. “I've been making soup. You can go ahead and sit down at the table. It's almost ready.”

He could hear the smile in the next sigh that Ivan made and heard one of the chairs at the table slide back before he sat down.

“How long was I asleep? Have you been making this the whole time?” he asked, his voice still sounding a little sleepy. “You really didn't have to...”

“No, I wanted to.,” he said, turning around to appraise his appearance further now that he was sitting up and surrounded by the light from the kitchen. “You look like you've been neglecting yourself. Haven't you been eating anything?”

“I... I guess I forgot.”

“You forgot,” Yuri repeated, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling an eye twitch. “If you're trying to build muscle, you shouldn't be forgetting to eat. You're just going to lose mass that way. All over a toy...”

“It's not just any toy!” Ivan said, his chair creaking as he sat up straighter defensively. “It's an action figure and you didn't let me explain before when I first got here.”

“As I recall, you were passed out in my bed...”

Ivan fidgeted and whined embarrassedly. “Well. Yeah, there was that. B-but let me explain! I was doing my training in the gym by myself earlier today and then my phone rang. It was my manager and he was like 'Ivan, I have some news that will really excite you' or whatever and I was like 'oh my god, did I finally manage to become number one?'” He laughed nervously. “I have big dreams, you know... Uh. Not number one, but I did climb up. I'm number seven now!”

Yuri turned back to the stove and tried not to let himself laugh. It wasn't that funny, considering. Ivan worked really hard to get that far and he didn't want to sound like he was making fun of him, but... _Seventh._

“They said they're rewarding my good effort by releasing my very own limited edition holiday action figure!”

He was glad. It wasn't number one, but Ivan accomplished something he tried so hard to do.

“Congratulations,” he said.

“Yup. It's going to be released around Christmas. I can't wait. When I got the news, I-I got excited and wanted to tell you right away. I guess I didn't realize how worn out I was.”

Yuri ladled some soup into a bowl and returned to the table, setting it down as he pulled out a seat for himself. “Just promise me that you'll be more careful if you're going to keep _training._ You know I would open the door for you again if I had to, but I don't want this to happen again, please.”

Ivan stared at the soup hungrily and nodded quickly, whatever it would take to get the soup passed over to him. “I promise, I promise.” He looked up at Yuri when he still didn't hand over the soup. “I-I mean it.”

Yuri sighed, smiling slightly. He passed the soup across the table to him and handed him the spoon, thinking, _I don't like it when you make me worry._

He waited anxiously as Ivan lifted the spoon to taste it, then gave himself a mental pat on the back when Ivan grinned and took another bite. He was glad that Ivan had interrupted his day.


	12. The Season For Giving

Ivan kept insisting that there be a tree. Like for many people in Sterbild, getting a Christmas tree was a tradition for him. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, he started begging, using as many sad stories as he could in the hope that Yuri would comply and give him his tree. He even told him about his sad memories from the previous year, when his Christmas suffered due to a lack of a tree. His eyes had teared up a little as he concluded the story.

That would have been enough to convince Yuri – if he needed any convincing to start with.

Getting a Christmas tree was always something he did. He hated to be one of those people who sat around at Christmastime and thought too much about the good years of their childhood that were gone, but that tended to happen. There were things that he missed that he didn't even want to think about anymore and seeing the tree in his living room was always a reminder of those times. At the same time, it was a way of bringing life and happiness into his home each year that he didn't have otherwise.

And now, with Ivan, it sounded even nicer. The star at the top of the tree was a symbol of something wonderful in the distance. It was right there but represented something far away. The thought was sort of depressing sometimes, but was also sometimes enough to lift his spirits when he felt like he had no hope at all.

He let Ivan keep asking because he wanted to see his face when he brought the tree home. If he let Ivan have his choice of tree, he was going to end up with sometime too big or too small for his living room, so he went out and got it himself. He made the trip to one of the nearby tree lots and picked out the nicest Douglas-fir they had and packed it up in the trunk of his car by himself, then drove home praying that Ivan wouldn't be coming over before he had it up.

Once he had the tree sitting in its spot in the living room in the tree stand with some water, he stood back to have a look at it. Nearly touching the ceiling, the tree stood taking up a good portion of the carpet in front of the window. Each branch was covered with thick, soft needles and made the whole room instantly smell like Christmas.The obvious thing that was missing were the ornaments...

He always did those by himself now, too. If Ivan knew there were a tree, Yuri wondered if he would want to help him decorate it. It was hard to decide whether it would be more of a surprise if he saw it fully decorated and wondered if it would be more of a treat if he let him decorate it with him instead...

However, he stood there thinking about it for so long that he ran out of time. The doorbell rang and he felt immediate panic, looking between the door and his bag of ornaments. There were bulbs in there from when he was really young... Did he really want Ivan to see those kinds of things? It would make him look like a crazy person who still lived in the past, right? He could actually _hear_ Ivan sighing outside at that point though, so he let him inside and that was that.

The best part was, Ivan had entered sounding as if he were going to ask about the tree again and then he looked over Yuri's shoulder and his eyes got wider than Yuri had ever seen. He ran over to it and started touching it and making lots of loud, adoring sounds at it. At that point in December, Yuri already had his gift for Ivan, but he wasn't sure it could get any better than that. His pure excitement at seeing the tree probably would have been enough.

As it turned out, Ivan had some old ornaments of his own. Yuri was afraid of how Ivan would react when he inevitably started to dig through his bag of ornaments, but he was surprised and relieved to hear him make all of the same adoring sounds at them. He came back the next day with a few of his own, each with a special meaning to them, and hung them on the remaining free spaces on the tree.

That time, when Yuri stood back and looked at the tree, he really started to realize that this was the first Christmas he had spent with someone else's oraments on the tree, with someone there to make the holiday worth celebrating again.

Without his consent, Ivan rushed into his kitchen after that and attempted to make cookies out of whatever he could find. If Yuri weren't there to supervise, he was sure his house would have burned down.

After spending that whole day running around the house excitedly, Ivan seemed to start to sober up from his cheer once he got exhausted. By then, he started to talk about presents and seemed to get very concerned about finding something nice for Yuri to repay him for getting him a tree. (Yuri really thought that the readied bag of ornaments would have been enough to tell him that he had intended to get a tree anyway, but he enjoyed Ivan's excitement too much and didn't mind the thought of getting a gift from him. He had no idea what Ivan would think to get him, so it gave him something to look forward to.)

Little did Ivan know, Yuri had already made the preparations for his gift. He felt quite proud inside for being able to even obtain the certain gift. He knew it was something that Ivan had been dying to get and he was going to love surprising him with it.

Ivan was away with the other heroes taking care of a criminal when the preorders opened for the limited holiday Origami Cyclone action figure. Spending a great number of his hours at work in front of a computer, Yuri knew he would be able to get in to the site to stake his place in line for the figure. It was unfortunate that Ivan was distraught over not being able to make a preorder in time, but it just made Yuri feel successful, knowing that he had something that Ivan would be excited about.

Any time that presents came up in their conversations, Ivan got nervous and wiggled around, making excuses for why he hadn't gotten him anything yet. Once Yuri told him that he already got him something (and that he would love it), it seemed to just make Ivan feel that much more guilty.

There was something else Yuri had been thinking of getting him. It meant a lot more than just an action figure, although that was still special for its own unique reasons. After Ivan had collapsed at his door, Yuri realized another thing, a lot like what he had realized while looking at their ornaments next to each other.

Ivan thought of this as a second home now – maybe even _the_ home for him.

So after a little more thought, Yuri concluded that he should get him his own set of keys. The odds that he was ever going to out himself as Lunatic were growing slimmer with the more time he spent with his little hero, so he had no fears in giving him his own keys to his house. Just as long as he kept all of his costumes, accessories, and weapons locked up like he always had, he wouldn't worry about Ivan finding them while he was out.

* * *

“I figured out what to give you,” Ivan told him on Christmas Eve.

It had certainly taken him long enough. Christmas Eve was really the last day for him to get a gift, let alone think about what to get someone. Yuri worried that it would be something he picked up last minute, but held some hope that he had thought of something really good with all of that time he had.

“S-so... What are we... Gonna do tonight?”

Yuri hadn't given much thought to Christmas Eve. He already told Ivan that they would go to a good restaurant for Christmas and then come home to... enjoy the warm fire. Then maybe eat some cookies and watch an old Christmas movie. It was the kind of thing everyone did, even Lunatic.

Christmas Eve was a bit puzzling for Yuri, though. He could hardly remember what he used to do with his parents on that day. All he could remember was the excitement he had because Christmas Eve meant that the next day was Presents Day. When there was no one to give him gifts, he just... must have stopped giving significance to Christmas Eve.

“Later,” Ivan said, looking up at him with those eyes of his that allowed him to get away with most anything, “can we go to the park together? ...M-maybe really late. Like, right before midnight.”

“What kind of thing are you intending to do at the park...” Yuri asked, suspicious and already feeling cold at the thought.

Ivan colored and hid his face in his hands, whining about how that wasn't what he meant. Good to know, because as much as he liked the thought of putting ice on Ivan and making him squirm, he didn't personally like the thought of freezing his ass off with some public indecency. Besides, that was incredibly illegal. Also kind of interesting... Wait, no.

Right, that wasn't what Ivan meant, so... What did that mean exactly?

He passed the park so many times on his way to work that he hadn't even thought about it. The trees in the park were all decorated with lights and there were various other little holiday attractions though the different paths for families to enjoy. It was also a great spot for couples because it was lit all night long. Leave it to Ivan to come up with such a suggestion.

And really, it wasn't a bad suggestion. In fact, Yuri liked it a lot. It was a lot more than what he had planned, after all. Ivan continued his proposal for their evening and suggested that they bring their gifts with them to open after midnight.

That must have been what he spent all that time coming up with...

It was worth it. That night, they drove to the park together. Ivan kept his face glued to the passenger side window the whole way there, ogling all the lights on the houses and buildings and pointing out the ones that he thought were the best. It was somewhat distracting, what with all the traffic (traffic near midnight!) but they made it to the park safely, without any mishaps.

Ivan jumped out of the car with his small giftbox in his hand. He had shown it to Yuri earlier, even let him hold it, but Yuri was unable to figure out what it was. It didn't really make a sound, but he sensed some movement when he rattled it around so... _something_ was in there, for all that meant.

Ivan's action figure had arrived just in time and Yuri wrapped its box with paper he found that resembled origami paper patterns. He thought Ivan would get a kick out of it, and by the look on his face, he did. The key set he had made for him was put in its own little box and wrapped up with more of that paper and a gold bow on top.

“I have an idea,” Ivan said once they were both out of the car. His boots made a crunching sound in the snow when he stopped in front of Yuri and held up his gift to him. “I'll let you hold your present. We'll swap now, but we still won't open them until it's officially Christmas, okay?”

“That's very cute,” Yuri said, holding out his presents for Ivan to take.

They swapped gifts and Ivan looked down at his boots. His cheeks, nose, and ears were turning red already and Yuri wondered if it was the snow or just Ivan's nature. “D-do you mean that...”

Yuri thought he sounded pretty serious when he said it. Yes, he meant it. “Yes. Did that come across as condescending...? Ah, I really meant that. We're exchanging gifts at the park in the snow and there are Christmas lights all around us. That's definitely cute. Even I can tell that and I've become aware that my concept of 'cute' is usually stranger than how the average person perceives 'cute'.”

Ivan stared at him but it seemed that he didn't believe him still. “Yeah. Well, uh. I still can't tell if you like it, even if you're calling it cute.”

“I like it.”

That must have been enough. Ivan started walking off on his own down the first path, holding his gifts to his chest with his mittened hands.

The lights around them kept the darkness away, making the snow sparkle along the path in the spots where they shined the brightest. The long purple scarf Ivan had wrapped around his neck flapped behind him as he walked through the snow. His steps started to grow slower very quickly, probably as he noticed the way the wind would unpleasantly slap him in the face for trying to walk too fast. Before long, he stopped and looked behind him to wait for Yuri to catch up.

Yuri was enjoying taking his time, though. He enjoyed the way the lights above made Ivan's golden hair shine brighter, like there was a halo around his head made of white, green, and red lights. Up close, his cheeks glowed pink, but his soft, pale skin looked even more pure when surrounded by snow.

He hardly realized that he had stopped to stare at him closely until Ivan poked him in the shoulder.

“We haven't gotten very far. D-don't you think it's too early to stop and... s-stare at each other?” Even though every part of him seemed to slow down in the cold, Ivan's eyes darted around nervously.

“Right. Let's keep going, then.” Just to be a jerk, he added, “If you get too cold, you can hold my hand, you know.”

He really didn't want to make Ivan pass out or give him a heart attack or anything, but he really loved watching his reactions to the simplest of things. It didn't require any bravery for Yuri to suggest that. Even though he used it to get a rise out of him, he also totally meant it. If Ivan really wanted them to, he wouldn't mind holding his hand in the snow. His mittens were adorable, but his hands were probably freezing in those things.

“The lights are really pretty. I'm glad we came,” Ivan remarked as they got farther down the path. They passed over a bridge with a little frozen pond below it and he pointed to some lights they had arranged over the rocks in the pond to look like ice skating penguins. “Oh my god, those are so cute! Little penguins! Ice skating!”

Every sentence he said sounded more excited than usual when his teeth were chattering. The longer they stayed out and the more his teeth chattered, the more Yuri wondered if he should add his scarf to Ivan's to keep him warm.

The next time they passed under a bright street lamp, Yuri pushed back his coat sleeve to look at his watch.

“Ivan,” Yuri said, putting a hand on his shoulder to get him to stop. Ivan's boots slid a little in the snow and he wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him still. Ivan's hands came up to press against Yuri's chest and his presents were squished between them.

“Y-yes?” he asked, startled.

Yuri found himself mysteriously speechless for a moment. It had to be the lights.

He held up his watch for Ivan to see. “Take a look for yourself. It's... Well, now it's one minute after midnight.”

“O-oh. Sorry, if I hadn't almost tripped we would have been right on the dot. Well, uh... Um... Merry Christmas!”

He smiled softly. “Yes, Merry Christmas.” Yuri released him gently until Ivan could step away with enough space to open his gifts. “Are you going to open your presents first?”

“ _Can I?_ ”

He sounded so excited, of course he would let him go first. Besides, Yuri liked feeling like he had a special present of his own to unwrap. It was a long time since he felt that type of anxiousness. “Go ahead,” he said. “Go with the bigger box first.”

Ivan's mittens seemed to make it a little difficult for him to get the wrapping off, but he managed. Once he got a good rip in the end of it, the rest seemed to follow with it. He cursed lightly as it tore right down the middle and he rubbed his mitten over it as if he could fix it.

“Darn it. The paper was so nice... I didn't want to ruin it.”

“It's fine,” Yuri laughed. “I have a whole roll.”

That made Ivan brighten just a bit, but his face completely lit up when he realized what was underneath that wrapping paper. “N-no way,” he exclaimed in the quietest, most shocked voice one could make. “It's the special edition - I don't even- I didn't get to preorder it!” His eyes were glued to the box as if he couldn't even believe that the thing he was holding were the real thing. “Th-this is... Thank you so much, Yuri!”

Yuri wasn't expecting such a forceful hug from someone who was still holding a box in each hand, but he sure got one – and almost got knocked over from the sheer cheerful force Ivan put into it.

“This is going to go right next to regular Origami Cyclone! Uwaaaaah... Look at his little Santa hat!”

“I had a feeling you would like it. I remember how devastated you were when you thought you weren't going to be able to get one. I'm sure you could have worked out something with the manufacturer, being who you are and all, but I wanted you to have one when everyone else got theirs.”

“Y-you really do understand...” Ivan said, nearly sparkling with happiness. Yuri wasn't sure he knew what there was to understand, though. It was a nice action figure, after all. Why not?

“Are you going to open your second box now?” He didn't want to sound like he was trying to hurry him along or anything, but he was starting to freeze. Ivan's excitement was probably what had kept him from turning into a popsicle so far.

It seemed as if he forgot about the second gift in light of the first one until Yuri reminded him of it. “Ah.” He shook his head and tried to tone down his enthusiasm. “Right, yes. Opening the second one now. I'm really curious to see what this is after that first one...”

He fussed with the bow until the string came loose and he was able to pull it off. When the wrapping was off the box, he rolled it into a ball with the wrapping paper from the other box and stuffed it into his coat pocket. He looked up to Yuri for a second to try to gauge his reactions, then back down at the box as he slid the lid off of it.

For a few seconds, he just stood looking at it, then swallowed and smiled. Yuri wondered if the sniffle was from the cold or something else, but the smile he had was a kind of smile Yuri hadn't ever seen on him before. He looked happy and... if Yuri wasn't mistaken, he looked very touched.

“Are these... Like... keys to your... house?”

On that second or third pause Yuri was almost certain that he was going to say 'heart' and he groaned internally at his own corniness. When he nodded, Ivan grabbed the hand that Yuri had holding his gift and lifted it, urging him to open his own box. Yuri raised an eyebrow at him, but he was very curious now to know what Ivan had gotten him if he was looking at him so anxiously like that now.

His own box was covered in the cutest, most Japanese-looking little reindeer Yuri had ever seen. The Ivan-ness of it made him grin. He slid off one glove for a moment to carefully unwrap the little box, then slid the glove back on immediately after. The box was quite light and as he slid the top off of it, it became clear why Ivan had wanted him to open it suddenly like that.

“Let me guess,” he said, picking up the key that rested snugly in the tissue paper of his box. “This is a key to your place.”

“It looks like we had the same idea,” Ivan said shyly. “Except, like, I didn't get an action figure for you. I wish there were a Lunatic one that could go with this...”

“If it existed, I'd already have it.” No shame. He didn't know how he'd feel about a Christmas edition one, though.

Ivan smiled and hugged his gift boxes to his chest. “Should've figured.” He paused and tried to do his best to hold both boxes with one arm, then held out a hand for Yuri to hold. “I don't know if you meant it back there, but... U-um...”

“Certainly,” he replied in a gentlemanly manner. Ivan's mittened hand slid into his and he could tell how chilled he was. Gently, he tried to radiate a little bit of heat to him; just enough to get him back to the car without turning into a beautiful Ivan ice statue.

“You're so warm,” Ivan said happily, seeming to take notice of it. Ivan got a little bit closer and pressed their arms together to get more of his heat while they walked. “I was so surprised just now that I didn't even really say what I thought about it, huh? Thank you. I mean, you know how I feel about the figure, but the keys – thank you.”

“Don't worry about it,” he said. “And thank you for the key as well. It means just as much to me. Although... I haven't visited your place much, have I?”

Ivan shook his head. “I thought this would give you more reason to, since I visit your place so much.”

He did quite enjoy going into Ivan's room that time – although there had been some special circumstances for it that time. But he was sure he could find more special circumstances. That was a thought for later, though.

While they had been walking, they hadn't encountered very many people, but now that they were leaving, it seemed like everyone else who came to the park were leaving as well. Each couple walked closely, just like them, trying to keep each other warm on the way to their cars. Yuri held his hand a little bit tighter to savor the warmth next to him.


	13. Skeletons in Your Closet

Ivan's Origami Cyclone suit had gone through a few changes before it reached its final version. The initial makes had been much too heavy. He thought it was his own fault for a while for not being buff enough to carry it, but his team eventually agreed that something lighter was required. Hero suits in general came a far way since then. Now there were only a few problems with the general comfort of it that bothered him, but they were so small that they were easy to ignore.

During the summer, the temperature couldn't go over a certain degree before he started to sweat buckets inside it, though. That was one flaw that they had never been able to fix. It wasn't a ventilation problem either. It was something to do with the material, they told him. Something about... polyfibers and synthetic rubbers and the safety of what they could and could not combine in order to keep it light.

Regardless, he seemed to have the opposite problem in the winter. Certain parts of the suit made him sweat no matter what season it was, but the gloves and feet were _always_ too cold in the winter. He could only get so far in a chase before he just couldn't feel his feet anymore. Why couldn't he be one of the NEXT with a fire power? Imagine how toasty warm his toes could be!

Unfortunately, by the time the criminals were apprehended and they all got their points, he just couldn't feel anything anymore. Predictably, Fire Emblem held a great advantage in the winter. He knew what it was, but the others thought it was regular old luck. Ivan didn't care how many points he received sometimes when all he cared about was how quickly he could get back inside where it was warm. Maybe he had to try some of those things they sold to put inside your boots that would keep your feet warm... At least his real boots were somewhat of an improvement.

The walk home was still painful. He would have called Yuri to drive him home, but he didn't want to sound like a wimp who couldn't take a bit of cold.

The walk wasn't so bad anyway. Even if his feet were beyond help now, his boots were the kind that practically repelled the cold, so he knew it couldn't get any worse. He had his scarf and the mittens that he wore when he held Yuri's hand, too.

As he walked home, Ivan hoped that the fog in the air was from his breath and not from the heat that was being emitted from his red face. Just thinking about the picture-perfect moment in the snow he had with Yuri was enough to make smoke erupt from his ears.

His thoughts were so absorbed with the memory that it took him a moment to notice the new pair of shoes in the doorway when he enterted his house. For a moment, he panicked, thinking that he had an intruder, but no intruder would be kind enough to take off their shoes before walking around the house. Unless they were an abnormally respectful intruder, of course. But Ivan definitely recognized these shoes.

Ivan unwrapped the scarf from around his neck slowly, trying to think about where Yuri was at right now and why he hadn't come to say hello to him as soon as he entered. That meant he probably hadn't heard him, which meant he was somewhere like... The bathroom. Or... _Or his bedroom._

Ivan tried to still his heart, but he already knew that his bedroom was in no condition to be seen by the eyes of another in its current state. He could hope that Yuri would have the respect to stay out of his room, but then giving him a key had practically _invited_ him into it.

He didn't even care when his coat fell to the floor after his third time trying to hang it. His wet boots were peeled off hastily and he shucked them next to the door, accidentally dripping wet snow into Yuri's shoes. Yuri would forgive him for that, but he wasn't sure he would forgive Yuri if he had really intruded upon his bedroom in its condition.

Dashing down the hallways, Ivan moved as quickly as he could to where he expected him to be without knocking anything over. His haste may have been unnecessary if Yuri were already there, but Ivan wanted to know as quickly as possible whether he had seen it yet or not.

“Welcome back,” Yuri greeted him without looking up from what he was doing. He was knee-deep in black trashbags and stacks of what looked like garbage but Ivan couldn't remember having that much trash in his room. More importantly, the things he left out were missing – or elsewhere – and he was panicking, wondering what happened to them.

“M-my stuff! What are you doing with all my stuff!” Ivan asked, heart pounding for totally different reasons compared to earlier. “I-I know I gave you a key, but not to t-tear apart my things!”

Yuri stood and turned around, holding up a hand to get him to quiet down. For some reason, that always worked and made Ivan feel a little more willing to listen, as if Yuri's own calmness meant he had a good explanation in store.

“I'm merely doing some cleaning. I came over and realized you weren't here so I took a look around and found your room to be utterly filthy.”

Ivan had two problems with that. For one, Yuri had to know that he was out _protecting the city_ \- and secondly, his room was _so_ not filthy. Sure, he left some things out when he left, but those were things he left out on purpose because... Well...

Wait, why hadn't Yuri mentioned that yet... He had some very suspicious things laying out when he left. He was in the middle of something when the bracelet on his wrist started blinking so he had to leave it all there as it was.

When he didn't say anything else, his mind too busy trying to think of why Yuri hadn't commented on it, Yuri went right back to his work, picking up a duster to sweep the surface of his desk. Meanwhile, Ivan slid farther into the room to survey the damage that occurred while he was gone. He glanced around and checked out the tops of his dresser and desk which all seemed about the same as he had left them – just cleaner. Everything on top had been organized and dusted off. He couldn't even remember the last time when his Gunblaster RX-8 figure looked that shiny. It wasn't his fault. He tried to take care of all of his figures, but there were just so many that some were bound to get neglected and then it was too hard to clean off all the little tiny pieces on each of them. Dust was bound to get stuck in some of those tiny, untouchable crevices.

The trashbag looked to be full of mostly things like paper and wrappers and old figure boxes that he couldn't bring himself to get rid of. He knew that it was probably best that Yuri was doing that for him, otherwise they would just continue to stack up.

He watched as Yuri carefully picked up the special edition Origami Cyclone figure he got him for Christmas and wiped it down gently. Then it was lovingly set down next to the regular Origami figure – right behind his desk lamp where they appeared partially hidden.

“I wonder when they'll make a Lunatic action figure,” Yuri said, admiring the figure. “I think they'd look good together.”

Ivan stepped a little closer, tilting his head to sneak a look at the little smile Yuri had. It made Ivan all kinds of happy that the man he was in love with also had a part of him that appreciated the art of collectible miniatures.

“A tiny Lunatic,” he said to himself, visualizing it. “I just pictured him with a little Santa hat like the special edition one.”

He stifled a laugh and Yuri laughed as well. Yuri placed the duster down on his desk and turned around, leaning himself against the desk as he gave Ivan a look up and down. The sudden attention made Ivan feel very self-conscious and reminded him of his previous concerns.

“So...” Yuri started – and Ivan feared that he knew what he was going to say. It was time to approach the subject of what he found in his room. “I found some interesting things in here.”

Yep. That. Ivan swallowed and pushed his chilled fingers into his pockets.

“I, uh... It was a nice day outside, so I was going to-”

“Wear a skirt out?”

Okay, if he put it like that then it didn't make much sense. It was his fault that he wasn't letting him finish his sentence. It wasn't really all about the skirt. Although now that he thought about it, the skirt was a big part of it and the concept of what he was doing sounded gayer than anything he had ever done before so that was... It was really embarrassing to be found out like this.

“Actually,” Yuri said, raising his eyebrows and crossing his arms over his chest, “I was more interested in the camera and tripod. When you combine all three items together like that, it sounds like something very interesting, doesn't it?”

“O-oh... Oh my god, it's not what you think!”

Yuri snickered, turning his head to muffle it in his shoulder before it could turn into a full-out laugh. “It's not? Here I thought I had accidentally come across a secret gift you were going to put together for me. Now I'm kind of disappointed...”

All this shock was going to be enough to thaw him out completely if Yuri didn't stop embarrassing him. “I-I was...”

Maintaining that confident pose against his desk, Yuri gave an inquiring look, clearly curious as to what the real explanation would be.

Clearly, Ivan hadn't put two and two together when he walked into the room. What else would one expect if they saw a camera, tripod, and a girls' school uniform sitting on his bed? As far as anyone else could tell, those were probably the fixings for some amateur crossdressing porn – which was most certainly _not_ what he had intended for those items.

“I was going to make a dance video!” he blurted out. Then he very quickly realized how confusing this information was on its own as well. An explanation that wouldn't make him sound like a bigger nerd was going to be difficult to impossible. Yuri's continued stare prompted him to keep going: “It's for the internet.”

It looked like Yuri was taking it in slowly, pondering it, considering what he had already thought and what this new information added to it. Unfortunately, it seemed that he didn't believe him. “I'm afraid you'll have to give me more details. I just don't understand why you need a skirt to dance and how it has anything to do with the internet. Unless it were porn, then I understand...”

“It's not!” Ivan said, waving his hands around. “I swear. I can prove it even. I practiced the dance like a hundred ti-”

He looked down to his feet and his hands hung awkwardly in the air as he realized that he was just sticking his foot farther into his mouth. A quick glance up confirmed that Yuri was grinning. If he didn't know better, that grin meant that he was going to _want_ him to prove it now that he offered.

Ivan sighed in defeat and crossed over to his bed where he promptly flopped down onto his side. “There's, like, this trend where people dance to anime songs and stuff on this Japanese site I like. I'm pretty good at it, and I've posted videos there occassionally, okay? It's like a thing. I'm kind of popular.”

“Do you always wear skirts for it...?” Yuri asked, coming over to stand over him at the side of his bed.

Ivan grabbed a pillow for this part and hid his face. “ _Yeff_ ,” came his muffled reply.

“You know it's probably just a bunch of perverts watching you, right? Disgusting old men who like to see a young boy dancing in short skirts, waiting for him to move just the right way so they can catch a glimpse of what's underneath...”

The sensation of fingers crawling up one of his thighs made Ivan shiver and made him worry that Yuri knew a little more about this than he was letting on. Either that or he was the kind of guy he was describing because he wanted to see him in that skirt. That was likely.

He temporarily removed the pillow from his face to explain further, although he didn't know why anymore. This was the truly humiliating part: “They don't realize I'm a guy. I cover my face. There's like this whole debate on every video I post about whether I'm actually a guy or a girl and it's just because people expect boobs when they see a skirt.”

“They haven't heard of crossdressers?”

“Sure, except that I'm not a crossdresser. Should I be offended? What're you trying to say?”

“I'm just wondering what they're thinking. I know you aren't a crossdresser.” Yuri paused thoughtfully. “Although fundamentally, if you're voluntarily wearing women's clothing and dancing in videos, knowing that you're fooling people, then doesn't that make you a crossdresser to some extent?”

The pillow Ivan was holding was launched at top speed at Yuri's face. Not giving any reaction in particular, not even flinching, the pillow hit its mark and just fell straight to the floor. At least Yuri knew that he had things like that coming to him when he said things like that.

“So where'd you put my things? I don't know if I'm going to feel like going out now after... _this_ , but I would like to know where all my stuff has gone for convenience.”

Yuri pointed to the closet. “Tripod and camera are in there.” Then to the bottom drawer on Ivan's dresser. “And your outfit's in there.”

Ivan sat up, nodding slowly, feeling like there was still something else Yuri had to say. He stared, waiting, but Yuri just continued to stare back without a word. His patience was weakening with so much tension weighing the atmosphere down. “There's something else you have to say,” Ivan said. “I can tell.”

“Oh. I was just wishing now that I hadn't put that stuff away.”

_W-wh-what is that supposed to mean?_

No... No, Ivan knew what that meant. He was willing to suffer a little bit of coldness to shoot his video, but the thought of putting it on for any other reason didn't seem as pleasant at the moment. Keeping his pants on under the skirt would totally defeat the purpose of the skirt, even if that sort of thing looked cute sometimes.

“You know, I went through all the trouble of cleaning your room for you...”

Ivan's eyes narrowed. “Don't tell me you're going to try to say I owe you for something I didn't even ask you to do.”

“Of course not,” Yuri laughed. “I just wanted to see if it would work.”

“Well...” Ivan looked down to his feet and nudged his toes into the carpet. “It was really cold outside and I'm still cold in here. I don't really think I want to put on a skirt and stuff because it's probably just going to make me even colder again. My poor feet...”

Just remembering the painful walk home was going to make him want to tear up now, especially after he got his hopes up about making the video. He wasn't about to do that with Yuri right there in his room; not after suffering all that embarrassment. It was more about the embarrassment than the coldness, but it was a very valid excuse.

“I thought you liked it when you dressed up in the shorts like your character...” Yuri said, acting disappointed. Despite what he said about not trying to guilt him out, that was what he was doing now. Apart from enjoying obsessive cleanliness around his own house, he probably came over and cleaned up as a way to extract more favors out of him.

“I did like that,” Ivan admitted, still staring at his feet. “But like I said, it’s _coooool-_ ”

“What if I help you warm up?”

“Explain your conditions _de gozaru_ ,” Ivan said, going a little into his Origami voice, which provoked a raised eyebrow from Yuri.

“I’ll warm up whatever part of you feels too cold. Simple as that. If you really don’t want to, then that’s alright, but after I saw those things while cleaning up...”

It seemed that Yuri never liked to say too much about how he was feeling, but Ivan could tell that this was something he really wanted now.

“Wh... What about the camera?”

Yuri paused to observe a moment of contemplative silence.

“We can film it. I hadn’t yet considered that myself, but I like the idea.”

Ivan lit up. “I, uh. I didn’t mean that I wanted- I mean, I thought that you would’ve already thought about that! Like, it’s not like I want you to... record me doing... whatever you want us to do with me in the skirt.”

Two warm fingers tilted Ivan’s chin up and he shivered despite himself. Yuri was convincing. And warm. “My, Ivan,” he said, his voice dipping low and dripping sultry-sweetness like his favorite honey. “If I weren’t mistaken, it sounds as though this idea intrigues you as well. I don’t have it in me to deprive you of the things you truly want...”

Ever so lightly, the fingers that had held his chin began to trace their way along his jaw.

Ivan swallowed heavily and dared himself to look up at the seductive face in front of him. “You... wouldn’t do anything with the video, would you?”

“For someone who already willingly posts videos of himself in women’s clothing online, you sound pretty self-conscious. Don’t worry, though. I’m alright with that as long as no one sees your face. But this... This would be just for me.”

Well, this was it then. He had just signed himself up for another interesting night. This was starting to remind him a lot of that time Yuri went into the Cave of Eternal Sorrows for him to complete that quest, except this time he wasn’t getting anything in exchange. Except for maybe a video of himself in compromising positions on his own camera’s memory card. Could he fap to himself...?

Yeah, maybe.

Yuri turned around and went back to the drawer he had indicated before. He pulled out the drawer and took out Ivan’s neatly folded outfit. “Feel free to start undressing,” he said as he placed the pieces on the bed next to Ivan. Everything had indeed been kept together: the dark blue skirt, blouse, vest, and even the leg warmers. There was only one thing missing and that was because Ivan was already wearing it. While Yuri had his back turned, going toward the closet for the camera, he tried to move as quickly as he could. He unzipped his pants at lightning speed and grabbed the skirt. He barely had one foot in it before Yuri spoke and nearly made him jump out of his skin.

“Take your time,” he said smoothly. “I don't want to miss anything. This can be the best part sometimes, you know.”

Agh, then there was no avoiding it. Or... Was there?

Ivan continued, lifting his other knee to slip it into the skirt. He was thankful that his shirt was long enough to cover his ass – in all senses of the phrase. He got halfway before Yuri stopped him again.

“Ah-ah-ah,” he chastized, waggling a finger at him. “You should take off your shirt first. I'm curious to see if some of the marks I left are still there – among other things.”

So he _had_ seen through him. All Ivan could do was sigh. Whatever Yuri said was what had to be done, unless he wanted to find out what new methods of punishment he had up his sleeve. So far, they hadn't been terrible punishments; all except for that time when he tied him to his bed and left him to go make a sandwich. The time sort of sucked. But then it was good. Ivan felt conflicted about those punishments.

He lived to please now, though. Refusing to release the breath he was still stubbornly holding onto, Ivan let go of the skirt and let it fall to the floor around his feet. Straightening up, he curled his fingers in the bottom of his shirt and bit his lip as he pulled it up over his head.

Yuri made a pleased sound at the reveal, visibly admiring what was underneath. To spare himself some time and laundry, he thought it would be a good idea to wear the proper pantsu under his regular clothes. There was something admittedly exciting about even wearing the blue and white striped garments under his Origami Cyclone suit.

“I-it's cuz like... If I'm dancing and the skirt goes up a bit, I don't want anyone to get an eyeful of boxer shorts or something.”

“I think they would notice the bulge, however. Don't you think so?”

Yuri kept his eyes on him as he went about setting up the tripod and camera. Ivan felt himself getting redder and redder as he realized how practiced Yuri seemed to be at such a thing. He was aware that Yuri had lovers before him – all of a one-night nature, but what if he did things like this with them? What if he still had the videos of them?

Pausing in his equipment-setup, Yuri looked up to him curiously when he noticed that he had stopped. “What's wrong?”

“Ah... N-nothing! I just... thought you looked like you really knew what you were doing, so you probably don't need my help. That's all.”

“I've got a nice camera of my own, that's why.”

“It's not... because you've taken videos with other guys before, have you?”

Yuri took a moment of silence that lasted just long enough to confirm what Ivan thought. “Yes,” he admitted, “but I burned the tapes.”

“B-burned them? Like literally burned them? Ahaha... Why?” Disregard how crazy he looked laughing and standing half-naked in girls' panties, he thought it was more ridiculous that someone would burn a tape rather than just writing over it. “Didn't you capture what you took? You didn't have to waste tapes like that.”

Yuri laughed heartily and went back to screwing the camera onto the top of the tripod. “Sorry to insult the technology nerd in you. I hadn't taken the video off the tapes and I didn't feel like even seeing any of them again, so I just burned them. The tapes cost a bit, but it wasn't worth it to me to have to see them again. Especially after I found you.”

Ivan's heart lept up to his throat at that and his fingers clenched in the shirt that he still had clutched in his hands. “Th... Thank you for telling me that,” he said quietly. Despite however he tried to act, it was possible for a thought like that to get to him, so it was very reassuring to know that he was all Yuri wanted. Yuri's eyes were only for him.

That made undressing in front of him a lot easier; although at that point, he was almost completely out of his clothes anyway. He rolled up his discarded clothing and put them next to his bed, then picked up the skirt from where he left it. With a sensual swirl of his hip, he slid the garment over his legs and zipped it up at his waist. On their own, the panties made him feel a little absurd when he was just standing in those alone, but underneath something like the skirt, they became positively erotic. He had Yuri to thank for that fetish.

“I should have taken a look through your underwear drawer. Who knows what I would find in there, as I certainly don't remember buying that pair for you,” Yuri purred deviously as he watched him button up the shirt. Ivan was sure that he would eventually become aware of what a collection he had now. There were all kinds now: the kitty ones, a few different striped ones, ones with polka dots... He wondered if it would be crossing a line to 'upgrade' to lace.

Ivan could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he pulled the soft, grey vest over his head. The only items left to put on were the legwarmers, so with burning cheeks, he made a nice show of sliding them on, lifting one foot up onto his bed, then the other. How did that phrase go? More is less? No, that didn't quite fit, but wearing more felt a lot more erotic than standing around in just his underwear.

Before he knew it, the outfit was all assembled and he stood before Yuri as a much _prettier_ Ivan.

“I can still tell you're a guy...”

Ivan laughed, putting a hand on one hip. “Normally I'd wear a mask; like one of those little surgical types. A lot of people tend to wear masks to hide their identities in their videos anyway. It's a thing. And with the distance I usually keep from the camera, nobody gets a perfect view of any particular angle.”

Now that the tripod was all set up, Yuri stood and stepped in front of Ivan. He lifted a hand and covered up the bottom of his face and then looked him up and down curiously. “Weird. When I do that, you sort of do look less like a guy...”

“See!” Ivan said, voice slightly muffled by Yuri's palm. He reached up and pushed it down to talk. “I've got my ways.”

“And that gives me an idea.” He looked around the room, confusing Ivan.

“Need something?”

Yuri shrugged. “No. I'm not sure where you keep your ties, but I have my own.” With that, he slipped a finger into the knot of his tie and pulled it all loose in one swift tug. Ivan’s eyes followed the motion with unconscious intent but his senses came back to him when the tie was suddenly being slipped around his wrists.

“Oh, so it’s going to be that sort of thing.”

“It’s going to be whatever you want it to be,” Yuri said, smiling in that way of his that made Ivan worry just a little - especially with a camera staring at him right over there in front of his bed. As his wrists were being tied yet, Yuri pressed a knee forward between Ivan’s legs. The simple contact that he made gave Ivan a start and he slumped down onto his bed, which got a very self-pleased laugh from Yuri.

Once his hands were tied up tightly (nice and comfortable but without any wiggle room), Yuri waltzed back over to the camera. “Scoot up for me,” he said, waving a hand somewhere toward the wall. Ivan assumed that he meant for him to sit up against the headboard, so he did so with some effort, having to wiggle his way there without the use of his hands.

“Like that?”

“Perfect. Now I can see all of you.”

_All of... me?_ Now probably wasn’t the time to suddenly tell him to stop because it wasn’t like they had even really started. Something about being filmed like this made Ivan’s heart beat dangerously fast, but he still wanted to give it a fair try, just like anything else. Who knows, he figured. This might turn out to be his favorite activity after this. It was just... Letting the camera see his face made him want to dive under the covers.

“You’re not going to do anything with the video afterwards, are you?”

“It’s your tape. It’s up to you to choose what happens to it.”

“And what are we going to do now...?”

“It’s your tape. You decide what goes on it.”

Ivan held up his bound wrists. “This part was all you, though.”

“You know how I like my control. Now the rest is up to you.” He drew a finger seductively around the top of the camera, sliding it delicately around the record button. “I want to hear it from you. Tell me what you would like and I will do anything you desire.” And then the button was pressed, without a doubt capturing the moment that Ivan’s mouth fell open.

Realizing the embarrassing position he was caught in, Ivan shut his legs immediately. The very first frame of this recording was a panty shot. His panty shot. The levels of embarrassment here were breaking records. He wished that he could find a less embarrassing way to tell Yuri that he really enjoyed that kind of embarrassment. Alas.

He wouldn’t have given a second thought to Yuri undressing him before in other situations, but the thought of it now was something else. The camera added a new element to the experience; it made time feel slower and made him analyze every movement more intensely.

It even made it harder for him to speak, knowing that if he were to ever - theoretically - go back and watch the video, he would have to hear his own awkward, shaking voice. Yuri was going to continue standing behind the camera if he didn’t speak up now, watching him through the little digital display.

“It says you have thirty minutes remaining. Thirty-two, actually. That’s like a very nice little movie. An ‘episode’, if you will.”

_The episode where I pretend to be a school girl who’s going to lift her skirt for the perverted old man next door... Oh God, why is that hot? No, brain! Stop that!_

Except the tie around his wrists were going to keep him from doing that himself. Well, he probably could, but not without a lot of wriggling and struggling to get the skirt off on his own. For now, the skirt could stay. They could start somewhere simpler first; whatever, just something that wouldn’t require him to speak too much. Telling Yuri the things he wanted was a turn-on but it still crossed the Extreme Embarrassment Line (EEL) for him.

Looking off the side of the bed, he cleared his throat and tried to speak clearly. “My shirt.”

“Hm?”

“Could you... Touch my chest a little?” He lifted his wrapped wrists up and raised his chest suggestively. “I know you can’t take off my shirt all the way like this but that’s... okay.” He lost a bit of the confidence in his voice the more he spoke but that was okay too.

“Certainly,” Yuri said obligingly. It made Ivan feel like breathing a sigh of relief when Yuri came out from behind the camera. It was enough having the camera staring at him from this angle and having Yuri there too was just adding more pressure.

Yuri must have been analyzing every corner of the camera’s scope because it seemed like he knew just how to stand to make sure that he wasn’t obscuring the view of the lens. Yuri leaned down next to him, his face a few mere inches from Ivan’s. Slowly, he brought his hands to the bottom on the vest and slowly, gently started to roll it up his stomach to his chest. There were thirty minutes of recording space remaining on his memory card and Yuri was probably determined to use every second.

Ten painstaking seconds to remove each button in the shirt underneath the vest. He didn’t remove all of them in the end, leaving the few that he couldn’t reach under the vest still buttoned. Once he had enough unbuttoned, he pushed the shirt open and that was enough to draw the first gasp from Ivan. The way that the fabric moved across his nipples leaving sparks of pleasure in its trace made him realize just how turned on he’d already become.

“I see...” Yuri pressed his fingers of one hand over the left one, then released, watching Ivan’s face as if for an indication of how much he was feeling. He swirled his fingers around it with some additional pressure and likely came to the conclusion that even a little was enough to drive him crazy already. Ivan knew that this meant that he was going to give him as much as he could handle, which was alright, because he could handle a lot by now.

There were times where Yuri spent whole hours just dedicated to Ivan’s chest so by now it was familiar territory for both of them. Ivan knew that he could take a little and he could certainly take a lot, but there was always a point that he reached once he was beyond aroused that it became hard for him to take it anymore. The relentless attention to a part of him that had become so sensitive was enough to make him dizzy and make it hard to breathe. Come to think of it, it was probably a bad idea for him to tell Yuri to go for his chest first. Being one of Yuri’s favorite places on his body, he knew how hard it was for him to stop once he got started.

All he had to do was tell him to stop. He was the one who found the words to ask for it in the first place, but with every pass of Yuri’s fingertips over his sensitive nipples, the words felt farther and farther away. His mind was melting and his body was burning up. He strained his neck to the side and wriggled his hips, feeling the need to move. His bound wrists hovered over his chest while his fingers clenched together anxiously.

There was probably twenty-five... twenty minutes remaining? Everything felt like a blur to him now. It was getting hard to focus and he tried to breathe slowly through his nose to clear out his head.

Why was he trying to hang on for longer? So that the video would run out of time? If he did that, then maybe he could hold on so long that it would never have to see him take his skirt off. That would be an excruciating twenty-something minutes, though. His head was already a mess with Yuri crossing his wires like this. He could handle hours of this when they started from zero, but this time they began when he was already nearing his maximum.

“I- I... I’ll pass out!”

Yuri immediately stopped, sliding his fingers down his ribs and away, leaving his body thrumming. His head felt like it was floating; dizzy and spacey and... Ah, Yuri was stroking his hair.

As he worked to catch his breath, his eyes closed, he felt Yuri’s lips pressing gently against his cheek and then down along his jaw.

“I, uh... That part’s being recorded too, you know.”

Yuri hummed happily. “I don’t mind.”

The rush of blood to his face made Ivan feel all sorts of dizzy again. “I’ll pass out!”

“You’re fine.” Yuri said. Sitting up, he put his hands back down into his lap to await his further orders. Ivan took this opportunity to do a little more breath-catching, but he could feel his heart speeding up just thinking about the kind of control he was actually in right now. The tie around his wrists was all Yuri’s doing, but even with his wrists bound, the power had been placed in his hands.

So where was this going? First the clothes, then... what they just did. If they were making a proper video then there had to be a good conclusion of some kind. What would be a good way to bring it to a close?

“Maybe my... If you...” Darn it, he forgot to think about what he was going to say first again. He calmed himself down to try again. “Would you... s-suck my dick?” There was no way to make that sound more polite.

Yuri hmm’d and looked at the camera, then down to the skirt, then brought his head down to the same level and ultimately concluded: “That wouldn’t show up well on camera.”

“What about a different position?”

“Hmm...”

“What if I suck yours?”

Yuri grinned into the thumb he had pressed to his lips as he thought. “We can do a trade then.”

So it was going to be a trade now. One blowjob for another, it seemed. And that sounded pretty fair as far as those things went if he thought about it. He knew that Yuri could derive a lot of pleasure just by looking at him, especially under conditions like this, but he always hated feeling like he wasn’t doing everything he could be for him. Ivan would gladly suck his dick. He would enjoy it, even.

“Alright. So I’ll just...” Ivan attempted to sit up but barely got halfway without the use of his hands. “Uh. Man, it’s tough to move like this. Tougher than you’d think.”

“That _is_ the idea,” Yuri was proud to remind him. He let Ivan embarrass himself a little more before he helped him out, putting his hands behind his back to get him on his knees. Ivan fell forward and collapsed onto his elbows, leaving his striped behind very visible. Instinct made him reach back to pull the skirt down, but with his hands bound he only ended up rolling and flopping around on the bed like a fish.

“You saw!”

“...Of course I saw.”

Ivan stuck out his tongue at him. “Just one of the lines I’ve always wanted to say. Not everyday that I get to wear a skirt and show off my pantsu to a perverted older man.”

“Yes. I would worry if that were a daily occurrence.”

“Not if you were the pervert. You would probably enjoy that.”

Smirking, Yuri grabbed Ivan’s hips and hoisted him back into a stable position. “It sounds like you’re trying to give me ideas,” he said. Sliding off the bed momentarily, he walked back to the camera to check out the view. He walked back over to Ivan and tilted his ass a little more to the left. Ivan wasn’t sure what any of it looked like on the camera yet, but he was just going to trust Yuri’s artistic vision with this.

Finally, Yuri assumed the position that Ivan had previously held; his back pressed up against the headboard, his legs spread out comfortably in front of himself with Ivan between them. He looked so confident to Ivan, just like a king who knew that his servant would serve him in the exact way that he desired. Thankfully, Yuri wasn’t going to torture him by making him try to unbutton his pants with his hands together.

He was just as hard as he expected him to be. Ivan backed up, feeling the skirt sliding down his waist a little as he moved. He could sense the camera’s unwavering gaze on him and it made him feel even harder. Bad things were going to happen to the front of these panties.

“Take your time,” Yuri said calmly. “We have about twenty minutes remaining.”

Ivan just sighed and took in a nice, deep breath. Hands placed on the bed between Yuri’s legs, he leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips along the exposed length of it. Yuri’s pants were tugged down barely a few inches, just enough to give Ivan access to what he had to work with, but he still wished that he could see all of Yuri for a change. It was quite some time since he saw him completely naked. Perhaps next time, he imagined he could talk him into taking it all off. Or maybe he would have to sneak up on him in the shower.

He took a tentative taste of Yuri’s skin; just a little, just enough to give himself some more confidence. Resting his weight on his elbows, he lifted his hands to hold the base and slowly circled the head with his closed lips. The sigh he received from Yuri bolstered his confidence even more and he decided to take it into his mouth. Keeping his jaw relaxed, he let his tongue slide along the underside as he moved forward slowly, taking it deeper and deeper. He loved to surprise Yuri with how far he was willing to take things sometimes and this was taking that literally.

Yuri stayed totally still the whole time until at last he felt him bump against the back of his throat. Ivan forced any uncomfortable feelings away and took another stabling breath through his nose, then let it out slowly with a warm hum. The feeling wasn’t so bad. He swallowed, letting his throat flex around him and Yuri gasped. Ivan was fortunate enough to look up in time to catch a glimpse of Yuri’s blissful expression.

Yuri was always a big talker in bed; usually the one telling Ivan what to do and making demands. When he shut up, that was when Ivan knew he was doing things perfectly all on his own.

He was in his own place now with his eyes closed, breathing deeply, one hand stroking the back of Ivan’s head. Ivan pulled his head back gradually and moved onto short, quick bobs of his head. His lips slid over his skin smoothly, slick with his spit. Wrapping his fingers around the base, he stroked along the underside with his thumbs and applied a little more pressure with his lips.

Ivan could tell he was almost there, especially with the way Yuri was scratching his blunt nails against the back of his head. That was an indicator if there ever were one. Taking heed of this, he considered backing away, but... He went all the way down one more time and pulled back up just in time to feel Yuri come in his mouth, his warm cum splashing against his tongue.

He swallowed it all, grimacing slightly at the bitter taste but overall feeling quite pleased with himself. Gently, he swirled his tongue around the head to clean up what remained and then sat up. Yuri reached out to him and brushed a thumb along the bottom of his lips, a very fond, deviously pleased expression on his face.

“Do you like the taste?”

_Am I supposed to say ‘yes’...?_ “I think I’m acquiring a taste for it.”

“Nice answer,” he chuckled as he slung his legs over the side of the bed and stood.

“Your turn now,” Ivan was happy to remind him. The tie gave him its usual problems when he tried to get himself back to where Yuri had been sitting, but he got there by himself this time. The skirt was bunched up under him a little but that was something he could ignore for now. It was a lot more distracting to watch Yuri tucking himself back into his pants. He buckled his belt and with a swipe of one hand through his hair he was back into perfect condition. One more glance was taken at the timer on the camera and he returned to the bed.

“Oh, so this vest,” Ivan said, tilting his chin down to indicate the garment that still remained in a bunched up state around his chest. “Were you going to help me take this shirt off?”

As if that were a ridiculous question, Yuri simply laughed. “Of course not. The outfit is part of the appeal right now, you know.” The vest was pushed farther up his chest to where it had been before and shirt pushed open. Lightly, Yuri dragged his nails over his nipples, reawakening the exquisite pain and pleasure with a jolt that made Ivan’s toes curl and his dick jerk.

“Nnnn- Sensei~”

“What kind of fantasy are you having now...”

Ivan grinned broadly. “I look like a school girl don’t I? It’s part of the appeal, isn’t it?” He stuck out his tongue playfully and winked. “ _Teh-heh-pero._ ”

“I like the outfit and I have to admit that I really enjoy how androgynous you look in it, but the reason I like it so much is because of this.” He slipped his hand under the skirt and put his palm possessively over Ivan’s dick. Even if he saw that coming, it still made Ivan’s eyes widen and his nostrils flare.

Yuri didn’t give him an opportunity to collect his thoughts before he slid his hand away and grabbed hold of both of his wrists. With practiced speed, he untied the tie and retied his hands to the headboard behind him. Having his arms above him like that made him feel even more exposed. His room was a bit chilly even with the heat on and his nipples stood ready for more abuse. Thinking about the chilliness, he realized that he hadn’t thought about how cold he had been this whole time. Yuri had kept him distracted from the moment he walked in the house and he was kind of thankful for that. He would much rather be painfully aroused than painfully cold.

Ivan tested his bonds. _Definitely secure,_ he confirmed happily, letting his shoulders relax. Having his arms tied over his head was starting to get relaxing, believe it or not. It forced the rest of him to spread out and relax. The strain in his arms and shoulders would only come if he started struggling. Sometimes he liked that, but he liked the thought of a relaxing experience at the moment; something a little different from the panting, sweating mess he had become earlier when Yuri had his hands all over his chest.

Yuri’s hands were so warm. He ran them up his waist and over his chest, back and forth as he made a comfortable place for himself between Ivan’s knees.

“You can keep calling me that if you wish...”

“Hm?” Ivan opened his eyes, realizing that he hadn’t even noticed when he closed them. “Call you... What, ‘sensei’? R-really?” When Yuri didn’t reply, he blinked. “Cuz I will.”

“Just for today because the outfit makes it relevant.”

That sounded like an excuse. It sounded more like Yuri had found a new fetish for himself. Maybe there was something to this skirt scenario after all. Wanting to indulge him more, Ivan coyly distanced his knees and looked down to the side.

“Are you saying you like my outfit? Y-you’re embarrassing me, sensei.”

Ivan could practically see the fire igniting in Yuri’s eyes. Next thing he knew, Yuri’s hands were gripping the undersides of his thighs, forcing them apart. He slid one thumb under the tight black thigh-highs and leaned down to bite his exposed skin - not just nip, but _bite_ , leaving a warm sting behind when he pulled away. He kissed the area, rubbing his lips over it gently before taking the same spot back between his teeth to really rub in a bruise.

“I-I’m probably going bruise a lot there if you do that!”

Chuckling, Yuri raised an eyebrow. “And how many people do you expect to see it in such a place?”

He tightened his grip on his legs slightly and Ivan whimpered when he pressed his thumb into the sensitive mark. He gently lowered his legs so he could move onto the skirt. “I don’t know what people do with these, honestly,” he admitted. “They probably just toss them off and forget about them, but that seems like a waste in this case.” Instead of sliding the skirt off, he pushed it up his waist, moving it out of the way.

_This makes me feel like I’m in a hentai..._ Ivan was unsurprised by how alright he felt about that.

A little bit of special attention was paid to his clothed cock, before Yuri was going to take them off. He placed his hand over it like before, but rubbed slowly, stroking him through the thin material, letting the wet spot on the front spread farther. Ivan wriggled his hips, wishing he would touch him more firmly but whenever he moved on his own, Yuri pulled away his hand. Frustrated, he gave up and let Yuri do as he pleased. The light touches he continued to give him were only driving him more and more crazy, though. He should have known this wasn’t going to be as relaxing as he expected. Yuri loved to tease him way too much.

Then, blessed relief as Yuri pulled the striped garments off. After he had the pantsu off, he placed them respectfully next to them on the bed. Ivan would have laughed, but he preferred that to the floor anyway.

“Look at you,” Yuri purred, gazing down at him. Ivan felt positively debauched, which meant that he must have looked like a masterpiece in Yuri’s eyes. His discerning gaze made him feel a little nervous, but also kind of special. Receiving such praise from him made him twitch and he closed his eyes tightly, feeling his face flush with color.

Like a cat playing with a captured mouse, Yuri ran his fingers down Ivan’s cock slowly with feather-light touches.

“P-please, s-sensei...”

Yuri looked up at him through under his eyelashes, mischievous grin in place. “You know what I want to hear.”

“Yuri, please. Ah- It’s- I’m...” He gasped. “I’m too hard, _please._ ” His whole body felt keyed up and ready to explode at any moment. All the waiting was just piling it on and it made it difficult for him to even think, but he still managed to force out the words. “I want to come!”

Yuri sighed as if disappointed and leaned back. “Oh? Well what do you want me to do about it?”

Seeing him move away was the last thing Ivan wanted and he shot forward. A split-second later, his shoulders angrily reminded him that he was still tied to the bed and he fell back limply. He strained his wrists in their restraints and gritted his teeth. It looked like he was just going to have to give in all the way. Yuri wanted him let go and if he wanted him to continue then he was going to have to. Yuri already had his body, exposed and spread out before him, but he wanted more than that - he wanted to see his thoughts, his desires - everything.

It was obvious in a way, but the realization still made him gasp.

Yuri looked down at him expectantly.

“Yuri, I... No- _Sensei,_ I want you to. Suck my. Dick, please.” It was still imperfect, but at least it came out in a sentence that made some sense and he didn’t rush it all together this time. That was more or less a step forward. And this time, he managed to look Yuri in the eye without blinking. That made him feel exactly the way he expected it would.

It made him feel like Yuri could see everything.

It was clear that he had Yuri’s approval this time. He smiled gently and reached forward to courteously rub out the strain Ivan had put on his shoulders. Automatically, Ivan melted under his touch, every one of his nerves unraveling with each sweet press of Yuri’s thumbs into his muscles.

“Sometimes I worry that I’m too easy on you,” he mused, adding a little bit of nail to his massage.

“N-not at all, sensei,” Ivan said, wincing.

Without another word, Yuri pushed the skirt back up his waist and wrapped his fist around him with blinding pressure. Ivan opened his mouth in a silent yell and pressed his head back into the pillow. He was glad for the brief massage Yuri had given him, otherwise he would have just exploded. The brief moments of relaxation he received put all of the pain and pleasure he was given into stark contrast, making him feel like there was no ground between the two sensations.

Yuri maintained the pressure of his hand as he slide it slowly, tightly, up over the head of Ivan’s cock. He repeated the motion once, then twice, then a few more times, adding an uncertain amount of time between each pass of his hand to keep his movements unpredictable. That was one of the things Ivan always enjoyed the most about him; how infrequently he could predict what he would do next. It was probably what made him crave Yuri the most, because nothing ever got boring.

The pressure was beginning to make him feel like his head would explode; bringing him right to the edge with the perfect amount of bite and then backing off.

“You really love to torture me,” Ivan moaned, knees shaking.

“You call this torture,” Yuri said, chuckling softly. “You just make it too easy.”

As if to prove his point, he pressed his thumb down on the head and then spread around the precum that was already beginning to slide down the underside. His cock jerked wantonly in Yuri’s hand and Ivan closed his eyes again in embarrassment. He was right, after all. He was pretty easy like that - but it was just for Yuri. It was all his fault for being so damn good at everything he did. His confidence alone was enough to make Ivan feel like begging because this was a man who always knew what he was doing.

Yuri hummed curiously, adding a few lazy strokes around the base while he thought.

Ivan couldn’t tell what he was thinking but there was no doubt some planning going on.

“It’s almost more fun to keep teasing you like this, but then it’s also hard to resist your cock when it’s looking so delicious.”

_He’s planning to give me a heart attack, that’s what he’s doing..._

He had the nerves of steel to say something like that and the look on his face told Ivan that he totally meant it, too. He was staring at his cock the way one might eye a delectable glazed donut; like his mouth was watering just thinking about how much he wanted it in his mouth.

The first touch of Yuri’s tongue to his cock proved that he was right, his tongue wet and inviting as he closed his lips around him. Yuri took him all the way and sighed breathily through his nose when he reached the base. When he pulled back, Ivan could tell just how much Yuri had been wanting it; probably just as much as Ivan had been wanting it himself. His precum mixed with Yuri’s saliva and made for the most lewd lubricant Ivan had ever felt and he tipped his head back in pleasure, his mouth open as he panted quietly.

His tongue caressed the underside while his lips slid slickly up the length of it, reaching nearly to the tip before sliding back down all the way. When he changed his pace to quicker bobs of his head, he added a bit of pressure with his lips which made Ivan’s knees quiver. Ivan could feel his lips twitch into a smirk around him when he saw the sort of reaction he was drawing from him.

Gently, he ran his hands up the insides of Ivan’s thighs. It was the lightest of touches but it sent sparks of intense pleasure straight to Ivan’s cock and made him groan. He expected Yuri to still tease him but it looked like he was beyond that, just enjoying himself completely as he sucked his cock and made him whimper for him. The thought of Yuri enjoying it that much was like throwing gas on the fire of his desire and he strained his arms against Yuri’s tie, feeling himself growing dangerously close to coming.

“Y-Yuri, I’m going to...” A warning was always the fair thing to do but his warning came a bit late.

That didn’t seem to bother Yuri at all, however. He continued to move his head until he felt his cock twitch, at which point he stopped for a second and let the warm liquid pool on his tongue.

Ivan whimpered when Yuri pulled away and he looked him up with flushed cheeks, rashly considering asking him if he wanted to continue. The sight before him took away any breath he would have had to ask in that moment, however. Yuri sat up and held his palm under his chin and let the cum and saliva that had collected on his tongue slowly drip into his hand.

The amount of it made Ivan flush down to his chest and he realized with little surprise that he was still hard. Even if he hadn’t been - he wanted Yuri to fuck him with that. He wanted to see him slide that hand over his own cock and coat himself with it and at least let him watch him jerk off with it.

“F-fuck me,” he said, sounding more confident than he expected to. “Please, with that. Before it dries.”

Yuri looked down at his hand and then at the tie binding Ivan’s hands to the bed. “If I help untie you with one hand, you have to unbutton my pants for me.”

Ivan nodded, chest swelling with excitement. “Alright,” he said, nodding.

Yuri inched forward on his knees and helped to untie him and once Ivan was free, he made quick work of the fastenings on Yuri’s pants. Seeing him hard like this made him want to get back on his knees for him as well but the the plan he had in mind already still sounded infinitely better.

The free hand was waved to indicate that Ivan should turn around for him but Ivan stayed planted where he was, breathing heavily in anticipation. “Not yet,” he said, looking at his hand. “I... want to watch you do it.”

“Good,” Yuri said, so quickly that it sounded like the most natural thing to roll off his tongue. He hooked a thumb in his pants to tug them a little lower and slowly wrapped his cum-covered fingers around his cock. To think that he had already come once - Ivan had never seen him looking so hard and just seeing him in such a condition made Ivan’s own cock jerk with want.

Ivan laid back down, placing his head comfortably on the pillows and beckoned Yuri forward by placing his hands under his knees and holding back his legs. Yuri came forward and placed one hand on Ivan’s hip and then looked down at the other dirty one with a perplexed face, but there was nothing confusing Ivan. Letting go of his knees for a moment, he took Yuri’s wrist and leaned forward to lave his tongue up his palm, cleaning up the salty remains from his palm and fingers with a shameless smile on his face.

“Any longer and it’s going to dry,” he said, wiggling his hips after he laid back down.

Yuri placed his slicked fingers at Ivan’s entrance and gave them a light push inside and did his best to prepare him as quickly and thoroughly as possible, given what limited lubricant he had to work with.

“This might be a tight squeeze,” he joked, but the way his eyes squinted and his lips curled when he began to press inside meant that he was serious about that. Ivan had read about guys using cum as lubricant before in many a fanfic, but apparently cum was not as good of a lube substitute as fanfics wanted him to believe.

Ivan wasn’t exactly average, though. He liked to believe that he was one of those fanfic type of characters now, who had sex with just cum between him and his lover and loved every second of it. Part of it was definitely how much he enjoyed the raw friction that came with it and how it forced Yuri to make longer, slower thrusts that pressed against just the right spot.

He was really happy to have his hands back now. With the freedom to put them wherever he wanted now, he could grip the bedsheets in one hand and delicately hold the back of Yuri’s neck with the other. Having been so focused on what he was feeling, his surroundings had just faded away. The moment he opened his eyes and saw Yuri’s intensely focused expression, his world came slamming back down around him.

He placed both hands behind Yuri’s neck and lifted his knees a little higher, allowing Yuri to go deeper. While Yuri was looking so focused, off in some other place, Ivan allowed himself to enjoy looking at his face, taking in the way his cheeks were reddened, his mouth slightly open. It made each movement feel that much more electrifying, knowing that Yuri was so intent on what he was doing and enjoying it just as much as he was.

“Yuri,” he murmured, letting one hand slide down along his jaw. “Why don’t you look at me?”

“Because,” Yuri bit out, “I’ll come if I do that.”

“That’s usually my line... And I want you to come,” he said, leaning up to kiss Yuri gently on the lips.

The gentle kiss immediately turned fierce as Yuri took his hands from Ivan’s hips and used them to press his shoulders down into the bed. His nails dug into the skin and Ivan moaned loudly as Yuri’s pace got faster and rougher, slamming into him recklessly as he dove closer to release. Ivan’s cock bobbed against his stomach and the skirt with each move of his hips and stained the fabric with drops of precum.

“Go on,” Yuri said, glancing down to Ivan’s dripping cock.

Not one to dismiss an invitation, Ivan removed his hands from around Yuri’s neck and wrapped his fingers around his cock, giving a relieved sigh at the contact.

Yuri let out a frustrated, hungry kind of sound as he watched him. He brought his hands back down to Ivan’s hips and pulled him into his lap so he could bury himself completely. It seemed that he wanted to keep it going for as long as he could, but Ivan could tell that he was done for. He wanted him to come inside of him more than anything - found it to be the one thing he enjoyed the most from any sex they had ever had. He hungered for it the way that those ahegao cum-sluts in hentai wanted it.

Licking his lips, he slowly began working his hand over himself, all the while looking at Yuri’s face. Yuri had his control, but he also had his own kind of control because he always knew what would make Yuri come the hardest. And that was all it took. The moment Yuri’s eyes met his, he lost it. His eyes snapped shut and his knees shook with the force of his orgasm.

Ivan quickened the movements of his hand and brought himself down all the way on Yuri’s cock, making sure he received every bit of his cum as he stroked himself to completion.

“Y-Yuri,” he whimpered, rolling his palm over the sensitive head of his spent cock, enjoying every last bit of the lingering pleasure and the stinging sensation of being overstimulated. There wasn’t as much cum on his hands this time, but the raw feeling from coming twice in a row left him tingling and feeling boneless.

Taking slow, calm breaths, Yuri pulled out of him but it appeared that going back to his composed self wasn’t going to be as easy this time. Doing it twice seemed to be over the limit of how long Yuri could hold his composure and now he looked only slightly less debauched as Ivan felt. Before he could start buckling his pants back up again, Ivan sat up and put a hand over his.

“You know, I planned on hopping in the shower when I came home originally. I didn’t expect surprise sex, so like... If you want, we could shower together?”

He worried that he wouldn’t be taken seriously if he didn’t tone down the sparkles. He could feel them radiating off his face with the prospect of taking a shower together with Yuri. Fortunately, his sparkly expectations weren’t about to be crushed. Yuri only looked a bit hesitant and eventually nodded in agreement.

“Fine, but I don’t know if I’ll be up for a round three yet, so keep your hands to yourself.”

“I-I wasn’t going to try anything! You’re the one who started this to begin with,” Ivan sputtered.

Yuri sighed... Then, looking down at both of them, laughed. Ivan didn’t know which part he found more amusing, but hearing Yuri’s laugh made him feel all warm inside. Still smirking to himself, Yuri leaned forward and started to pull the vest off of him and then popped the last few buttons on the shirt to get that off as well.

“I hope you like wearing this,” Yuri said as he helped him out with the skirt. “Because I’d love for you to wear it around the house.”

Ivan knew that he shouldn’t let himself think too hard about that or else he was going to turn red again. That wasn’t a request, was it? That was another order, right? He wanted that, right?

“Also,” Yuri added, “I don’t mind if you dance in front of me. You don’t have to keep your hobbies a secret, you should know that.”

Ivan watched him fold the skirt and the vest and then he leaned in and kissed him again, then got up quickly and ran to the door in only his leg warmers before Yuri could grab him. “I’m still freezing, you know. Hurry it up!”

Even if his feet were still a bit chilly, his heart felt warm as he jogged naked down the hallway. He was already in the bathroom by the time that he realized that his camera had probably ran out of memory space. He would... check it out later.


	14. Down and Dirty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one isn't on the kinkmeme, but it is for kink_bingo at Dreamwidth. It's filling the "enema" square on my card. I was surprised by how easy this was to write once I actually started it and you may be surprised by the approach I took to do it. (Full disclosure: It's not explicit, just fantasized.)
> 
> In retrospect, I find this chapter kind of self-indulgent. It has no bearing on the plot, so you can skip to the next chapter if you don't feel up to it. I just don't think I should outright delete this part. lol

Ivan's bed was the only warm place in the whole house at the moment. Even though he had the heater running, it was like the air around him refused to warm up, a chill lingering that he couldn't get rid of. It was alright, though. He didn't mind staying in his bed and on a day like this with no heroing obligations, there was no reason for him to leave his bed anyway.

It was just going to be him and his laptop for today. Yuri had to be at the courthouse and he said there was something else he had to take care of, so if he was going to show up, then it probably wouldn't be until later in the evening. He might get a little bugged if he found him still sitting around in his pajamas, but Ivan wasn't going to worry about that until later.

Keeping his laptop balanced on his blanket-covered knees, he leaned over the edge of the bed and waved his arm around until the tips of his numb fingers came in contact with the object he was searching for. Grabbing it by the wrist strap, he pulled the charging cable out of it pulled it up onto the bed with him. He turned the device around in his hands to find the screen and pressed the power button. Last night, he was in the shower for so long that the thing ran completely out of battery by the time they came back to the bedroom.

Yuri went home after that. Ivan didn't question it because he was just glad that he hadn't tried to check the camera out again. He promised that he would delete the contents after they were through with it, but after it spent so much time on the memory card, Ivan would have felt bad if it just got deleted like nothing ever happened. Sure, it was taking up a lot of space but that was easily fixed. All he had to do was move it to his computer.

He blew some warm air at his palm and reached over once more to open his drawer to get the USB cable for the laptop. After connecting them, he waited anxiously for his laptop to detect the camera's memory card. The second it came up, he clicked into the folder and dragged its contents onto his desktop.

_Thirty minutes..._

That must have been one huge video file. They had forgotten about it, after all... The thing itself had to be at least thirty minutes long. There were other things on the camera but that video was undoubtedly what was occupying the most space.

He hadn't given a lot of thought to what he would do with the video yet. All he knew was that he couldn't bring himself to delete it. The thought of watching it and seeing himself with Yuri was more than a little erotic. He wasn't ready to see what he looked like when he got shameless but he knew that he would probably find it more arousing than embarrassing. If the file was as large as he suspected it to be, then he was going to have to edit it down to a more reasonable size and that would surely give him the time to check it out in detail – frame by frame.

As he watched the progress bar slowly inch across the screen, he plunged his hands under the blankets. His fingers found their way under his shirt in their search for warmth and he jumped when he realized just how cold they were. Knowing that the warm skin under his shirt would help them warm up, he kept them there, rubbing his palms slowly over his stomach and chest.

That was... easily the slowest progress bar he had ever seen and it was painfully boring to watch.

It didn't take long for his thoughts to begin traveling in other directions, especially with his hands rubbing circles around his chest. The camera must have recorded some pretty interesting things. He was trying to keep his expectations as low as possible, but even if he accidentally blocked the lens with his ass for the majority of the video, it was still going to be really hot. His camera could record audio really well in a quiet room so he would get to hear all the sounds they made, even the slightest creaking of the bed. The thought of the sounds on the recording alone were enough to get him hard.

All too soon, he was having to push the laptop down a little to keep it from pressing down too hard against the front of his pajama pants. He stared up at his ceiling for a moment and sighed, cursing his predictability. It was alright, though. Yuri wasn't around to tease him for how easy he was to excite.

He was free to do whatever he wanted to do in his room today and he felt like he had all the time in the world, especially with that slowass loading bar creeping along. Ivan had a laptop in front of him and he knew that there were more interesting things he could be doing on it instead of watching that thing complete. There were things he could do in the meantime, like check out whether his favorite xxxtube user uploaded any new videos.

Leaving one hand under the cozy warmth of his shirt, he used the other to navigate to his browser to find the bookmark to Fettuccineocean's profile. (He silently questioned where he got that username from every time he visited his page. Even though he had been watching his videos and reading his comments for at least a year, he still never understood. Such was the nature of the internet, he supposed.) Absurd name aside, Fettuccine-sensei's page was like one of Ivan's most treasured secrets.

Somehow, Ivan had stumbled upon this man's page while in a search for “research material” for his fanfiction. He was a highly experienced dom and if he didn't know better, he would have suspected that he and Yuri were one and the same. With the thought in mind once, he studied Yuri's figure and then compared it to Fettuccine in one of his videos just to be sure once and came to the conclusion that they were different people, which just left him with the more shocking realization that there was another man as talented and experienced as Yuri out there somewhere.

He had hundreds of videos and he was easily one of the most popular users on xxxtube, although when it came to free porn sites, there was no such thing as celebrity. Even if he mentioned his name outside, no one would know who he was talking about – which was probably for the best because he wanted to keep him and his videos all to himself. Although Ivan used his videos for references on many a fic, he wasn't about to even let his readers know about this man's existence.

The majority of his videos were magnificent, like works of art, but then there were some... Ivan knew better than anyone that he shouldn't judge, but there were some videos that he posted that he just couldn't get behind. There were, in fact, some things that Ivan found out of his league that he knew he wouldn't even be able to try. There were some rare instances where Fettuccine's videos made him interested in activities he previously found unpalatable, but there were still certain things...

Namely, this one.

Staring at his screen with a blank expression, he let himself re-read the title of his newest upload just to let it sink in.

_Enema play (part 1/3)_

Dare he...?

Generally, this was _one of those things_ but if it was Fettuccine, then it sounded sort of interesting. What if he made it look hot? Was there a way to make that look hot...? Ivan hadn't even attempted to write a fic about that yet. That was due to a number of reasons. Namely, he worried about what other people would even think if they saw “enemas” in his tags one day. That would surely keep some readers away, which would be unfortunate if he tried his best with it.

The other big problem was that Ivan wasn't like the typical fanfic-writing pleb. He knew about the reality of how things worked, so if he thought “enemas”, he wasn't thinking about some kawaii yaoi story that involved something a little kinky. He was thinking about the dirty reality of it and all that it entailed.

And yet this did nothing to stop his boner at the moment, which had to mean something. He took a breath and tried to remind himself of how these things ended. It was probably going to be really gross and his eyes wouldn't be the same if he saw his favorite porn uploader involved in something like that. Then again...

_part 1/3_...

That meant that there would be more, right? The video wouldn't be complete. It was totally possible that he could watch it and get a safe taste of where it was going before it reached its inevitable conclusion. There was no guarantee that Fettuccine had even filmed that far into the act. Sometimes he liked to stop the recording before anyone even came just to give his viewers that same sense of strong desire that his slaves felt.

Regardless of what part 3/3 would be like, he knew that there would be no conclusion in this new upload, so he didn't have to worry. It wouldn't hurt if he just gave it a little peek to see... He was just curious...

Decision made, he clicked the video link and paused the video on the following page to give it a chance to buffer. (For some reason, it seemed like porn sites were behind the times with buffering that took eons.) While he waited, his eyes scanned the comments. The video had only just been posted a few hours prior but there were already tons of comments, just like always. On a video like this? Ivan found that a little surprising.

 **slave4u**  
I'm soooo jealous of all these slave boys you've got. They're so lucky to have amaster like you!

 **hungandhanged**  
yum yum yum love to watch that boys ass as he squirms around. You sure know how to do good work props

 **fucklikebunnys69**  
Wow, I didn't expect to find this so hot! Ahaha, good work as always! I can't wait for the other parts. Post them soon, pleeeeease!

 **cutelilass**  
holy shit I thought this was going to be gross. How do you make everything hot? Shiiiit do this to me too!! I'll pm you!!!

No way... Was it really going to be just like he thought? By the reactions, it sounded like he really did know how to make something like this hot. Feeling ridiculously curious about this now, Ivan quickly scrolled back to the top of the page and clicked on the play button.

The first thing that Ivan's eyes were drawn to were the beautiful, lean body of the slave, the subject of the video. Fettuccine always liked to get as much of his slave in the frame as possible, showing off every inch of their bodies in clear, loving HD. Ivan had his suspicions that Fettuccine was some kind of video editor for a living because he always put so much attention into his videos, going as far as to insert cuts and blur the faces of his slaves.

Even though he had hundreds of videos, he only had about three slaves. The guys were gorgeous; all tall, broad-shouldered, and smooth all over. Fettuccine had a type for sure. Ivan was embarrassed to even think it, but he knew that Fettuccine would probably take a liking to him, even if he weren't as tall and muscled as these other slaves. He had something in common with each of them so it was really easy to imagine himself in their places when he watched these videos.

Most of Fettuccine's videos took place in either his bedroom or somewhere on the floor of his living room. This was the first time he was getting a glimpse of his bathroom and, like he thought, it looked like the guy had some good money. The floors were sparkling clean white and black marble and just behind them, Ivan could see the beginnings of a very large bathtub. It reminded him a bit of the grand bathroom that Yuri had in his home.

It was a little silly, but Ivan had a bias on the slaves in his videos and this guy was his favorite, sleekslimslave. His body was probably the most similar to Ivan's own but that wasn't what made him so great. It was the way he sounded when Fettuccine put his hands on him. The two just seemed so completely comfortable with each other and sleekslimslave responded to every touch from Fettuccine with vocal appreciation. The other slaves liked to raise their voices, likely another trait of Fettuccine's type, but sleekslimslave's voice was so clear and erotic-sounding compared to the others. Something about it just got to him instantly every time.

If he weren't so worried about others finding out about this guy's page, he would write gratuitous fanfiction about them. They would probably find that extremely creepy if they ever found out, but... Ivan had already crossed that line ages ago with the other heroes and those were people he called his friends.

They weren't even really doing anything in the video yet. Sleekslimslave had been fitted with a cock ring sometime before the recording even began and they were already laying on the floor together, Fettuccine's face just outside of the frame to protect his identity. He had one hand on his slave's hip while the other was lazily caressing circles around SSS's taut abs.

Ivan sighed, taken aback by his signs of affection like always. He hadn't even realized that the hand under his own shirt had stilled until he started to rub it across his stomach in a mirror of Fettuccine's actions. Behind Fettuccine, a little to the right in the video's frame, he could see the apparatus he was going to use and Ivan felt himself pale a little, knowing where this was going to be heading.

Still, his arousal acted as if it were completely heedless of this fact. All he knew on a fundamental level was that SSS was ridiculously attractive and his master was about to show him one of the world's most forbidden kinks. In a way... Yes, maybe that was it.

That was what made this video so interesting and Fettuccine probably knew it himself. He was about to engage in something that he knew made people nervous and there was nothing that made somebody click on a video faster than the potential of seeing something you didn't want to see – like a train wreck.

That was a terrible comparison, but the feeling was similar. The fact that it felt forbidden was what was going to make it so good. It was a feeling that porn addicts and guys like Ivan himself knew all too well; the feeling that there was nothing interesting left to see. Once you reach tentacle porn, you've pretty much been there and done that all across the board.

But enemas were different. That was a kink on a different level, one that encroached on territory that caused even the kinkiest people to call someone else disgusting if they found out they were into it. But what if it was Fettuccine, who was known for his expert abilities as a master?

If Ivan continued to think about the reasonings behind the uploader's decision to create this video then he was going to have to write an essay about it, so he decided to keep his eyes on the video and just enjoy it for what it was.

Fettuccine placed his hand on his slave's stomach in a delicate gesture that he should turn over onto his back. Ivan could feel the sweat collecting on his brow as the enema bag came into view but his cock stayed strong. That was impressive, considering how unattractive he realized the words 'enema bag' sounded together. He didn't know what he had to anticipate, but he was anxious and ready for it nonetheless. He swallowed hard, eyes focused on the scene, waiting to find out where this was going to go.

The bag looked a lot like an old fashioned warm water bottle and the thought of that sounded a lot better than what he had previously been imagining. It had a thin tube attached to it and a nozzle on the other end of that so it wasn't hard for Ivan to grasp how this device was supposed to work. The slave wasn't even tied down for this one, which was a unique sight. He stretched out on his back and spread his legs a little for his master to guide the nozzle between them.

Once it was inserted, the slave moaned softly and the sound of it went straight to Ivan's dick, catching him off guard. He shifted, putting the laptop aside momentarily so he could push the thick bed sheets down his legs.

On second thought... That was cold as fuck. His temperature was rising a bit as he got more absorbed in the video, but it was no match for the coldness beyond the warmth of his bed. He quickly hit the pause button and quickly struggled with himself to get his pajama bottoms off. Once he threw them to the foot of the bed, he burrowed back under the covers and brought the laptop up to the pillow next to him.

He glanced around nervously, completely by habit. Even if he was alone, there was something about masturbating in a large room all by himself that made him worry that someone would walk in. Then again – and he cursed his dick's reaction to this one – that kind of thing was a kink of his now.

Ivan resumed the video.

He was laying in bed, but watching something like this made him feel like he should be somewhere more appropriate, like laying on the bathroom floor like they were. It wasn't like he planned on doing any of this himself at the moment... But just seeing it, knowing its potential to get messy, sent a certain shiver through him.

Beneath the sheets, he lifted his hips as best as he could while remaining on his side and slid his underwear down his thighs. The head of his cock caught against the edge of the waistband and bounced back against his stomach insistently when it was freed. As much as he wanted to touch himself, he ignored it for the moment and used his hand to click back to check on his video's progress.

It was still going too slowly, only about halfway done. It would probably be finished by the time that he was through with this video. He knew that getting even a glimpse of himself in that skirt with Yuri would be enough to make him come right away. A big part of him would have much rather been getting off to that video, but he knew that there was no way he could endure the wait. Not when Yuri wasn't around to make him stop. He lacked that kind of self control on his own.

It made him feel especially guilty when he thought about how much Fettuccine reminded him of Yuri. But then, if he thought about the two of them being in their place, then it wasn't like he was doing anything wrong, right? He was thinking about Yuri, not Fettuccine.

He nodded silently to himself and brought his attention back to the video. It looked like things were going to start getting interesting. Ivan hadn't watched a video on this subject before, but he was vaguely familiar with how it should work. The method the master was using was probably one of the more attractive methods and it would have probably been hard to make it look anything but arousing with SSS as the slave.

Ivan watched intensely as the nozzle was adjusted to allow the liquid in the water bottle to flow through the tube. The slave's moans were soft, yet growing. Ivan could only imagine how something like that must have felt. In theory, it sounded... pleasant. He had to wonder if having water flowing through him would feel anything like being come inside of. If it were anything like that, then he knew that he would likely enjoy it.

The slave was responding to the treatment with his usual verbal approval but what surprised Ivan was how hard his cock had gotten without even being touched. It could have been because he liked to compare himself to SSS, but he hadn't pegged him for the type of guy who would be so into this. That just made it impossible for Ivan not to imagine himself in his place.

His master smoothed a hand over his stomach and the slave groaned, tossing his head to the side to show the delicious, sweat-dampened length of his neck. Ivan was shocked to see that the video was already nearing the end and wished that he would mercifully upload the next part right away. As it was, he couldn't imagine this video coming to a satisfying conclusion with the minute that it had remaining. But that was always what Fettuccine liked to do. He wanted to hook his viewers in and make them as loyal as one of his slaves.

It seemed that the more water was added, the more intense the feeling became. The slave was panting quietly but whenever Fettuccine opened the nozzle to allow more water to pass through, his reactions grew more vocal, especially whenever he placed a hand on his stomach. And yet, his cock wasn't flagging at all. Ivan swallowed, running a hand over his own stomach in the same manner. He pressed gently over his lower abdomen and groaned, feeling his cock begging for attention against the back of his knuckles.

It looked like Fettuccine was going to make him take all the water that the water bottle could hold and the thought alone of that kind of pressure inside of him was so intense that it caused Ivan to whimper. Liquid probably felt very different compared to having something solid inside of him. He always thought that bigger was the better way to go, but liquid could go even deeper than anything else he could probably buy.

He knew what the ultimate outcome of their scenario would likely be, but it was the thought. The thought of having warm liquid coursing through the most sensitive parts of him, filling him up, was insanely erotic. Not to mention, even if it had to end the way he thought, if Yuri was there with him, watching him, then it would be one of the most intimate things they could possibly do together.

He finally wrapped his fingers around himself and narrowed his eyes at his laptop screen. Fettuccine really did always know what he was doing. With just one incomplete video, he made Ivan fantasize about something he never thought he would find appealing. Just like that, he made him want it. It made him resent him a little bit.

That was Yuri's job.

On the other hand, that was the bright side. His videos made other people jealous and wish that they had a master as skilled as him, but Ivan felt differently. He already had someone like him, someone even better, because while there were a few lucky slaves out there who had a guy like Fettuccine, Yuri was all his and his alone.

Would he want to do something like this with him if he brought up the idea as a possibility...? Yuri may have even considered it himself but just hadn't voiced it. Ivan couldn't deny now that he would be willing to try it sometime... Just once... Maybe when he was ready.

Until then, just the thought of it would be enough. Imagining the feeling of warm liquid pleasantly splashing inside of him like a wave, he thrust once, twice more into his hand and came into his palm.

By the time he was done cleaning himself up, the progress bar had disappeared and the video file was sitting on his desktop, ready to be opened. Without further delay, he opened it in a player to check its raw contents.

He felt his face heating up in just the first few seconds. He was used to how he looked in that outfit since he planned to make a dance video in it anyway, but the expression on his face was just too coy and embarrassing.

He paused it and put his face down on the keyboard.

While he had some things that Fettuccine's slaves were missing, he definitely lacked something that they were very good at: confidence on camera.


	15. All's Well That Ends Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally complete. Merry Christmas. Thank you very much for reading this crazy story.

Four years passed in the blink of an eye. Although the landscape of the internet had changed – familiar sites closing and new ones emerging with users migrating from one place to another – things remained much the same around the HeroTV forums. Ivan's chest tightened with a bit of pride whenever he thought about it.

He and the other heroes were still working closely together while maintaining real, lasting friendships in their real lives. When they weren't busy, they still showed themselves around the forums, appearing behind a different sort of mask. In the beginning, none of them even realized that the others were frequenting the site, yet there they were. Three years later, they were still at it.

For that long, he'd been together with Yuri.

It made him happy that the site was still going strong. It was probably just a stupid superstition of his, but he felt like something bad might happen to them if the site ever truly closed. After Maverick had been killed, the off-topic section of the forums was unexpectedly spared, and all rights of the site were handed over to Agnes. Some suspected that Maverick had been behind the plot to close the forums, but Ivan wasn't so sure. Speculation like that sounded a bit too far-fetched for his tastes. Everyone knew what a crazy, manipulative bastard he was in the end, but it seemed absurd that he would have been trying to close the site.

...It would have closed off communication between the fans and the heroes for a while until they found a new site to house their interest, though. The ones who were in support of the theory certainly weren't without their evidence.

Whether that was true or not, all that mattered to Ivan was that the site was still up and running.

His fanfiction was more popular than ever. Knowing how much he enjoyed the hobby, Yuri had suggested that he share his writing with the world to reach more readers than just those of the forum. The idea interested him, but he didn't want to abandon fanfiction altogether, so he found a happy middle ground, writing an original story about a pair of heroes who fell in love while fighting crime. He didn't want to risk making them sound too much like Wild Tiger and Barnaby, so one of them was an ex-villain-turned-hero. It was all very dramatic.

The people of the forum supported the story, and, before he knew it, he found himself with readers from every corner of the internet. They were all interested in his story and wanted more and wanted to know more about _him._ It was a little overwhelming, but it made him happy to know that people would still care about his writing even if he wrote something that wasn't fanfiction. He continued to write things about his friends on the side, so everyone was pleased.

He was happy. Things were good.

Such happiness almost left him feeling suspicious sometimes, though. It made him worry that another threat might appear suddenly one day to test its strength. If he weren't prepared, he was afraid of losing it.

He'd come a long way with his own abilities and felt more confident in them than ever before, but there was a part of him that still felt vulnerable and exposed. He knew it had to be irrational, but it felt like there was something waiting for him.

It was probably just his imagination, though. Anyone who felt that happy would feel like they needed to protect their happiness. The forums were peaceful again, his secondary career as an author was beginning to take off, and he was very happy with Yuri. There was no reason for him to feel suspicious of anything. He knew that he should just relax and let himself feel happy and not worry about anything.

He had everything that he'd wanted. Things were the way they were meant to be.

 

On a cold yet quiet day like any other, Ivan laid alone on the living room couch, idly tapping out one word at a time on his laptop while Yuri was at work. After spending more and more time at Yuri's place, Yuri finally extended the invitation to live with him. Yuri told him that he could keep his place if he wanted, but Ivan immediately brought all of his stuff over to Yuri's and made himself right at home. Nothing changed. He'd already been spending all of his time there at that point anyway and he even had his own key, so it made no noticeable difference.

It made him happy to wake up next to him each morning, to get to see his hair when it wasn't tied back, when it got all wavy and stuck up in weird places from sleeping. It was unexpectedly cute.

Being together more often, it seemed like Yuri became more comfortable with him. It was like the ice had finally broken and Yuri opened up, showing him the sides of himself that Ivan had all but accepted that he would never see.

Just remembering the first night they spent together after he moved in made his heart feel fuzzy.

He loved watching Yuri wake up and roll out of bed naked and wander around with his eyes half-open as he got ready for work in the morning.

Ivan knew he wasn't going to get much writing done if he kept thinking about it.

Feeling distracted enough anyway, he decided to have a look at the forum. He promised himself that he would only look at it after he finished the chapter he was working on, but he was getting close. All it needed was just a few more sentences and it would be done, so it wouldn't matter if he just took a quick look to see what the new topics were about.

As expected, there were fifteen new private messages for him. The finger that guided the mouse was itching to click on his inbox to check the messages, but he knew that he could spend a whole hour or two replying to fans if he let himself read them, so he steered away and scrolled down to click on the main forum.

The fanfic post was up there like usual, followed by a new post about Barnaby and Kotetsu's anniversary. To their fans, their anniversary was a big event. Realizing that, their sponsors went out of their way to capitalize on their relationship, making limited edition goods that could only be found in stores on the day of their anniversary. Kotetsu and Barnaby didn't want to see their fans trampling each other in a fight for those things on a day that was meant to be special, so they eventually ended up hosting special events of their own a day after the day of their anniversary.

Those two seemed like they had everything they could possibly want, but Ivan felt like he should give them a gift. There had to be something they would like...

It was already so close to Christmas, though. He was going to have to think of double the gifts.

Maybe he would recommend an anime to them. Something like _Knock-Out Man_ , an anime about a hero who could knock out foes with a single strike. In the manga, the hero falls in love with his understudy; a mild-mannered robot who fires laser beams from his eyes. When he read the manga, Ivan couldn't help but wonder if it'd been inspired by the real life story of his friends the same way they inspired his own book. Since it had just received an anime adaptation, it would've been the ideal time for them to watch it.

Or perhaps he'd get them gift cards or something... It was hard, trying to get friends into anime... They had enough going on as it was. They probably wouldn't even have the time to watch anything.

Ivan didn't know how he still managed it. Between heroing and writing a book and writing fanfics for the forum, it was a wonder that he managed to still keep up with anime every season. He kept expecting that he would fall behind one day, but that day had yet to come. Even the time he spent with Yuri couldn't distract him from it.

...Which reminded him- He'd almost forgotten that it was the day when the special edition Lunatic figure would be available.

A year ago, the stores _finally_ started selling Lunatic action figures, satisfying Yuri's long-standing desire for one. At last, he was able to set a tiny Lunatic next to the tiny Origami Cyclone that sat on top of their dresser. Ivan felt a little strange about it at first, finding it unsettling that Yuri was low key shipping him with a villain, but the way he saw it slowly changed over time.

He still remembered the way that Yuri had assured him that Lunatic would watch out for him after he'd ended up in the hospital after their confrontation with Jake. Something about that message had always seemed odd to him. Yuri seemed to have faith in Lunatic when no one else did. Even though he acted like a villain, Yuri believed in him.

More importantly, he still remembered the way that his message had reassured him. At the time, he didn't understand why, but he realized that it must have been Yuri's heartfelt belief in Lunatic's ability to do good. It sounded crazy to him back then.

Lunatic? A good guy underneath it all? It sounded absurd.

Gradually, Lunatic began to interfere with them less. And gradually, a part of Ivan started to hope that Yuri's hero would return to assist them, changing his ways.

But then Lunatic disappeared.

It was a wonder that they made an action figure of him at all after he stopped showing up. Maybe that was why; it probably didn't seem as problematic to make a figure of him if he didn't exist anymore. The history of Lunatic became like a mysterious piece of fiction in the story of the heroes of Sternbild. Figures of Lunatic would have always sold like hotcakes, especially after he made his first appearance, but no one wanted the backlash that would come from 'promoting' a murderer.

Well. At least Yuri was finally happy. It didn't seem to bother him that Lunatic hadn't made any recent appearances. Still, for his sake, Ivan hoped that he would show up again someday, if only so he could personally find out more about the man Yuri idolized.

For someone like Yuri to like him, Lunatic couldn't be a bad guy.

Or maybe he was over-simplifying it in his mind. That might've been the case. Lunatic hadn't shown up for so long, his whole existence was becoming a thing of myth and legend. His whole Wikipedia page sounded like made-up nonsense and speculation.

Either way, Ivan wanted to know the truth.

He hoped he was someone like Yuri.

Realizing that he wasn't getting any work done, he set his laptop aside, putting it on the living room table, and pulled out his phone. Quickly, he sent a text to Yuri to remind him about the special edition figure. Yuri was so dedicated, he probably would have pre-ordered it if he could've, but the special edition Christmas version was only available at certain stores during the holiday. If he didn't get it immediately, it was likely going to sell out before he could get his hands on it.

Within a few minutes, he already received a text back.

_Tuesday 12:22 PM_  
_There's a long line, but I made it in time. Do you want one too?_

Laughing to himself, Ivan texted back, letting him know that he wouldn't mind.

Putting his phone in his jacket pocket, he stood up from the couch, deciding that he should try to do something constructive before Yuri got home. He was always so good to him, it made Ivan wish that he could repay him in some way. Their house was huge, they always had good food, and Yuri still insisted that he pay for everything. Ivan couldn't help feeling like he was a freeloader, but Yuri always seemed happy just to have him there regardless of how much he contributed.

Ivan didn't really understand it. When someone was that kind, he thought it was only natural for them to expect something in return.

Standing there aimlessly in the middle of the living room, feeling down about himself, thoughts wandering, Ivan's eyes also began to wander, eventually arriving on the Christmas tree in their living room. Just looking at it made him smile. He and Yuri chose it together and filled it with ornaments. It was just a modestly-sized tree, but it felt like a bright presence in the otherwise large and empty living room. Yuri had allowed him to put most of the ornaments on it himself while he sat back and drank eggnog on the couch.

Ivan remembered the look on his face. His eyes looked so soft. He couldn't remember ever seeing him that happy.

His worries dispelled, Ivan went around the tree, finding the cord for the lights, and plugged it into the outlet nearby. It came to life, throwing its candy cane red and white light around the room.

The living room looked perfect already, totally decorated for the holiday. If they wanted, they still had time to invite the other heroes over for a Christmas get-together. His relationship with Yuri had become something of common knowledge among them. Some of them were skeptical of it at first, but they came to accept it after remembering the interactions he had with stophavingfun on the forums. They might have looked like an odd-couple, but they were on the same wavelength.

The idea of a party started to sound better to him the more he thought about it. The other heroes weren't very good at throwing parties, but he was sure that he and Yuri could do it. A house their size was probably big enough to accommodate everyone from the forums, but Ivan remembered what it was like the last time there was a Hero TV forums meet up, and he decided that it sounded a lot easier to simply invite his fellow heroes.

The rest of the house was going to need a bit of cleaning if that were going to happen, though. It was fine already, but there were certain things he didn't want his friends getting into. He could just imagine the horror he'd feel if someone stumbled into their bedroom... Or, worse yet, if they went into the basement. He hoped that his friends would be respectful enough not to wander around the house, but he knew better than to expect anything. The worst was always possible.

He didn't want to ask Yuri if it were alright to invite anyone until he was sure that their place was in a state fit to be seen.

Naturally, he gathered up his manga and magazines from the living room table and took them upstairs, putting them back on the shelf where they belonged. Too often, he left things sitting out long after he was done with them.

He gave the figures on their dresser a glance and nervously wondered what anyone would think if they wandered into their room and saw them. He wasn't worried about anyone misunderstanding Yuri's interest in Lunatic since they already knew he was a fan. Just... He wondered what they would think about two grown men who displayed _action figures_ like that.

Those weren't the only ones, either. Those two were just the ones Yuri allowed in their room.

There was a whole separate room dedicated to Ivan's collection. In order for him to move into Yuri's place, Ivan's only condition was that he be allowed to bring all of his things with him. Yuri had a number of rooms he wasn't even using, so he hadn't minded if he took one of them over for his embarrassing hobby.

From the floor to the ceiling, it was covered in all of the otaku merch he'd collected over the years. He refused to part with any of it, so it just kept accumulating. It was all maintained and kept well; his figures and statues organized on glass shelves, his plushes on their own wooden shelf, posters on the walls, and various other miscellaneous pieces decorating the spaces in between. He had a TV in that room where he played games. That way, he always had a reason to visit that room and appreciate the collection.

...Since Yuri insisted that he pay for almost all of their living expenses, Ivan's money had nowhere else to go.

That room was a lost cause. If the others visited, he was just going to have to lock it and hope that no one else saw it. The only other person he would allow in there besides Yuri was Karina.

Oddly, he realized that the door was able to be locked from the inside, but it also had a keyhole on the knob on the other side so it could be locked from the hall, yet he'd never seen the key for it. Until then, he never had a reason to think about it.

Quickly, he sent another text to Yuri, asking him if he knew where to find the key for that room.

He sat around in that room for a while, blowing dust off some of his older statues, but Yuri hadn't responded yet. With his patience waning, Ivan simply figured that he must have been busy or hadn't noticed his message.

Feeling just bored enough, he decided to look for the key himself.

He had no idea where Yuri would put something like that, though. The keys for the doors in the house were probably as old as the house itself, so he tried to think of where he could find something that old. They had to be somewhere safe...

“If I were a key, where would I be?” he muttered to himself, stroking his chin.

Perhaps Yuri didn't even know where they were. Maybe he was also still thinking about it and was too embarrassed to admit that he didn't have any clue. The thought made Ivan laugh a little. That sounded just like him.

In that case, the key probably wasn't going to be found in any of Yuri's things. Ivan knew that Yuri valued his privacy as much as he did, but he still went into his office _just in case_ , peeking through his desk drawers. There was nothing but boring papers and file folders in there, though.

Trying not to displace anything too drastically from its original position, he carefully sifted through the top drawer, pushing aside papers and scissors and a stapler and things of that nature until, all the way at the back, his fingers touched something small. Grasping it between his fingertips, he pulled it out and was elated to discover that it was a key.

Hoping that Yuri would forgive him, he took it back to the hallway and tried to lock the door.

...But the key didn't fit the door's keyhole. It was a little too big.

“Then what the heck is _this_ key for?” he wondered aloud. Deciding that he was just going to have to wait until Yuri came home to find out where he would find the proper key, he put the one that was too big in his pocket and decided to move on.

His next destination was the basement. From the kitchen, there were stairs that led down with a door at the bottom, but he'd never seen that door locked, either.

Searching the basement wall with one hand, he found the light switch and turned it on. The heater kept the rest of the house warm, but the basement was still a little cold, making him wrap his arms around himself. With each step he took farther into the basement, he felt the cold of the stone floor seeping through his socks.

Just looking at the place made him grimace. If someone else saw it, it would've been a lot worse than if they walked into their bedroom. He thought it would be difficult to decide which would be more embarrassing, but it was _definitely_ the basement with its conspicuous table in the center of the room with its suspiciously-placed leather straps and chains. No matter how he looked at it, it was clearly a sex dungeon...

There were things still left out from the last time they 'played' down there, too. They were bad kids, not putting their toys back where they belonged.

Sighing, enduring the cold room, Ivan went around picking up the things he wouldn't want anyone else to see. It was convenient to leave certain things out, like the e-stim box, but it didn't have to always stay out, especially since it wasn't something they used a lot. All of the things they frequently used were also frequently washed, but the thought of someone else touching them made him want to die.

Once he had a whole armful of things, he paused, met with a curious predicament.

He didn't know where they went.

Yuri was always the one who handled everything. More often than not, Ivan found himself on the receiving end, so he didn't have to worry about things like the preparation and clean-up of what they used in the basement.

_Dungeon_ , he reminded himself. It was best to call it what it was.

There was a closet on the far wall, but he'd never gone inside it. Knowing that that must have been where Yuri kept everything, he set down what he was holding on the table and went over to it. He turned the knob, but was met with resistance. Perplexed, he tried it again, but it wouldn't give. It appeared to be locked, but that made sense. There were sensitive things inside there. At least they had a lock on a door that deserved to be locked.

The only problem, of course, was that he didn't know where the key for that door was, either. One door couldn't be locked, and the other couldn't be opened.

His pocket buzzed and he pulled out his phone. Along with it, the awkward key he'd found earlier fell out of his pocket and he bent to retrieve it, then checked his phone.

_Tuesday 1:05 PM_  
_I'm almost home. Wait for me._

“No need to wait,” Ivan said to himself, proudly eyeing the key between his fingers. “This little guy might just be what I'm looking for.”

It looked old. It wasn't rusty, looking like it was well taken care of, but it was obviously as old as the house. It had to be the basement's key. Excited to find out what dirty secrets were behind that door, he tried the key on the knob. To his relief, it fit, and he gave it a turn, wiggling it slightly to hear it click.

For some reason, he felt sort of excited. He had the feeling that Yuri kept things in there that he hadn't used or shown him yet. It reminded him of what it was like to sneak into his parents' room before Christmas to hunt for the presents they were hiding.

Inside, he pulled the chain hanging from the ceiling to light the small space and found what was to be expected: shelves and racks of lovingly maintained whips, crops, and other devious devices. But there was something on the top of one shelf that unavoidably caught his eye; a luminous blue peeking out from the top of a battered cardboard box.

It looked oddly familiar.

Feeling anxious and compelled to find out what it was, he tried to reach for the box he saw on the top shelf, but he was just a little too short to reach it. Frustrated but determined, he glanced around himself, then placed one foot on the lowest part of the shelf, testing it to see if he could climb up. Satisfied that it wouldn't topple over with him on it, he began to climb.

Trying not to go too high, he reached again. His fingers brushed the top edge of the box, and he grasped for it, trying to get a hold on it. However, it turned out to be heavier than he expected, and, as he tried to pull it down, it slipped out of his grasp and fell the ground with a sound loud enough to make him wince. There were other similar-looking boxes on the top shelf, but he left them where they were for the moment, hopping down to inspect the one that had fallen on the floor. He really hoped that he hadn't broken anything.

Before he even tipped the box over, he could see some of its spilled contents; a sleeve, the end of a cape – all of it a too-familiar blue.

“Cosplay?” he wondered, turning the box upright.

Out of the box tumbled a mask. A Lunatic mask.

It wasn't that surprising. He remembered that time when he and Yuri had roleplayed; he in his real Origami Cyclone hero suit, Yuri in a cheap reproduction of Lunatic's costume. The memory was still vivid in his mind – so that was why he realized that the mask in front of him wasn't the same mask from that time. He thought that Yuri might have kept that costume, and maybe it _was_ around the house somewhere, but the one in front of him was totally different. It was of exquisite quality with exceptional attention to detail. It looked exactly like a real Lunatic mask.

It looked so real, it nearly gave him a heart attack. It really freaked him out for a second there. It was easy to dismiss, though. Yuri probably wanted to surprise him sometime by showing off with a perfect replica of Lunatic's costume.

Laughing nervously to himself, shaking his head, Ivan refolded the rest of the outfit and placed it back in the box along with the mask and got back up on the shelf to return it. However, while he was up there, his eyes lingered on the other boxes on the top shelf. He felt somewhat disappointed to have ruined one of Yuri's surprises, but he was dying to know what else he had up there.

It was hard to shake the feeling he had, but he couldn't explain what it was.

He brought the other two boxes down despite himself. He knew it was wrong to be looking through Yuri's things, especially after Yuri told him to wait for him, but...

Feeling a strange sense of apprehension, he slowly opened one of the boxes, praying for something. He wasn't sure what.

With numb fingers, he pulled out another Lunatic mask, feeling like he was losing his mind.

“H-he's really dedicated...!”

Yeah. There was an explanation for it, probably. Maybe they were different versions of the same costume or something.

Frantically, he tore into the third box, absolutely sure of what he was praying for. With that box, the worst was confirmed and more. The mask he pulled out looked familiar in a way that the other two hadn't. The mask shared the same deranged expression as the others except for one major difference...

The side of the mask was badly damaged, cracked below the left eye.

Having used his own real life experiences with Lunatic as the model for his characterization of him in his fanfiction, Ivan had replayed their encounters in his mind countless times. He remembered the moment when Kotetsu collided with Lunatic. With his fist blazing, Lunatic delivered a strike to Kotetsu's jaw right as he received a blow of his own. That strike from Kotetsu had put a crack in Lunatic's mask. Had he not left at that moment, they might have seen more of the pale face that they'd glimpsed beneath it.

Holding the mask in his hands, critically examining that cracked portion along the jaw, Ivan had no doubt in his mind that the mask he held was the same mask that Kotetsu had broken.

But maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe Yuri had three versions of the same costume because two of them had flaws, and-

He was making excuses. No matter how he looked at it, it was suspicious and it would've just been stupid of him to ignore how strange it was. Yuri clearly stashed those costumes and locked the door of the closet he was standing in because he didn't want him to discover what was inside of it.

Slowly, he placed the costumes back into the boxes and packed them up, deciding that he should put them back where he found them. If he wanted, he could close the door and pretend that he hadn't seen any of it and keep things with Yuri exactly the same as they had been for years. That sounded ideal at a glance, except he knew that he wouldn't be able to ignore it that easily. Even if it were just a coincidence, his findings were going to haunt him until he approached Yuri about it.

They were always so honest with each other...

There were too many things in his head.

He expected Yuri to be honest with him. If he were really Lunatic, then Ivan was terrified of what that meant about him as a hero.

He was dumb. It all slipped right underneath his nose. It was right there in plain sight.

Yuri's interest in Lunatic... His connection to the rest of the heroes... All the things he knew that he shouldn't know...

Blindly, Ivan had allowed himself to fall into his hands.

But... But even if those hands were the ones that had scorched guilty men, they were still capable of great gentleness. Underneath that deranged mask were the tense eyes that filled with tenderness whenever Yuri looked at him. Ivan refused to believe that those things had deceived him. No matter what was hidden, surely, those things had to be real.

Inescapably, he wondered if he'd been taken hostage by his own feelings for him.

The thought he'd always chased away while writing came back to him, cornering him and forcing him to find an answer.

If Lunatic turned out to be the person he loved, then what would he do?

Even before, when he thought it was all hypothetical, he'd struggled to find an answer. Logically, he knew that he should feel some sort of malice towards the man who had nearly killed him and had specifically targeted Edward, his close friend, but there had always been something about him that gave him pause.

It was like he told Yuri... Lunatic had been trying to do good in his own way. Even if it meant killing, Lunatic had shocked the city into peace whenever he appeared. His presence terrified criminals. But it also placed fear into the hearts of the people he was trying to protect.

He'd always thought... If Lunatic could turn things around and change his ways, then they wouldn't have to fight him.

It was a foolish thought, but he was still hoping.

For Yuri's sake, he was hoping.

He loved him. Even if he'd done terrible things, he still loved him, but he was terrified of what he would have to do about him, as Origami Cyclone. He couldn't push those boxes back to the top shelf, lock the door, and forget about them. As conflicted as he felt, and as difficult as it was to even fathom, he knew that he needed to stand up and do something about it.

Just like that time... Just as Kotetsu had encouraged him... He had to confront him in his own way.

It was easier to stand on his feet than he expected. Though he put the boxes back on the shelf, he kept the cracked mask, looking at it still as if to remind himself of reality. Any time, he expected it to sink in, to feel a crushing guilt and despair for having trusted him, but that feeling still had yet to surface. The initial shock had already worn off and was replaced by disappointment.

He was disappointed in himself.

That whole time, it had been right there in front of him, but he'd been too blind to see it. All of those times when Yuri's expression darkened with some unspoken, heavy feeling... Ivan wondered if that was what he'd been thinking about.

That whole time, Yuri had been struggling...

“Idiot,” he muttered, tears suddenly falling, hitting the mask, rolling down its surface.

Two could play at that game, he decided. When he spoke to Yuri, he wasn't going to let him see those tears. It was because of Yuri just as much as his friends that he had become the hero he was, so he couldn't let him see that weakness. He had to stand up to him like a hero and find out the truth from his mouth first before he let himself draw any further conclusions.

He took the mask back with him upstairs. Sitting on the couch in the living room, he set it down on the table with it facing him.

It was broken, but Yuri must have kept that mask for a reason, he thought.

If Yuri wanted to forget, he could have destroyed it like he destroyed those tapes from his past. If he had no intentions of returning, of donning that costume ever again, then there was no reason for Yuri to have kept it and stored it in a place where he _knew_ that Ivan might one day find it. What seemed like a foolish oversight at first began to seem intentional, like Yuri had been hoping all along that he would discover it.

It probably would've been easier than telling Ivan himself. It removed some of the weighty responsibility from him. That didn't sound like Yuri at all, but there were clearly things that he hadn't been able to say.

More than anything, as Ivan, the person Yuri loved, Ivan felt as though he'd failed. They shared the responsibility of honesty, but he felt like he'd ignored Yuri's feelings; the ones that were right there just below the surface.

As the minutes passed there in the living room, the situation began to feel more surreal. He'd quietly hoped that Lunatic could be someone like Yuri, but, if he had it his way, he wouldn't have wanted him to actually _be_ Yuri. Being Lunatic meant... Being Lunatic meant that Yuri had killed people, and that was very frightening. Ivan wasn't afraid of him, though. The fear it placed in him was probably the same fear that Yuri harboured.

Was he a bad hero if he forgave him for those things? He had to wonder.

If he could change and become a better hero, then he felt like Lunatic could change too. There were many different kinds of hope.

As Ivan sat there on the couch, staring at the mask, his uncertainty returned and made him wonder if he should take the mask back where he found it. Or... Maybe he could take all of those boxes and throw them out somewhere. That way, even if Yuri went back into that closet and realized that they were missing, he would know why, and he'd know that they never had to be spoken of.

That was a possibility. But it was too cowardly. The right decisions, sometimes, were the ones that were the hardest to make.

He had to be strong.

The sound of the door made him lose whatever bravery he'd built up in the time he spent waiting. When Yuri came in, he didn't know what he was supposed to expect. How would he react when he realized that his secret had been discovered? Ivan didn't have a clue. He knew that Yuri wouldn't hurt him, but... Suddenly, he didn't feel so sure.

Yuri was Lunatic. And he was just Origami Cyclone, the hero who couldn't have faced him without the help of Sternbild's favorite unbeatable duo.

“Happy early-Christmas, Ivan. I got you your own Santa version of the-”

Barely a few steps into the living room, Yuri stopped what he was saying the moment his eyes fell on what was on the table. He must have taken off his boots and coat, then came straight to the living room to proudly show him the spoils of his efforts; two special edition Santa Lunatic figures. Remembering what they looked like made Ivan want to laugh and have a look at them up close for himself, but it wasn't as easy to laugh as he thought. It wasn't easy to breathe, either.

Yuri was just standing there.

“Welcome back,” Ivan said, keeping his eyes low. If Yuri were to attack him for his discovery, then... He didn't even have it in him to fight for his life. The life he had with Yuri was his life, and if that were shattered, then he couldn't imagine it being worth living without him.

There had to be something wrong with him, thinking like that. At that moment, it was just too hard to push a thought like that away.

“So,” Ivan said, hoping that he would answer.

He was giving him room to explain himself.

Letting out a breath, Yuri came across the living room and placed the bag with the two figure boxes on the table. Inside, Ivan was panicking, but he tried to not let it show on his face. Whatever he was feeling, he knew that it was useless to hide it from Yuri since he knew how to read him better than anyone.

The mask he'd been keeping his eyes on was plucked from the table and he was forced to try to find a new place to avert his eyes.

Curiously – just a little – he glanced up and saw Yuri holding the mask in his hands, looking at it with an expression Ivan couldn't describe. It looked sort of stoic and indifferent, like he wasn't surprised.

“I told you to wait for me,” Yuri said. There didn't seem to be any identifiable emotion in his voice. Ivan couldn't tell what he was thinking.

“Sorry.”

He kept staring at the mask.

He was unreadable. The silence was suffocating.

“Please say something,” Ivan said, finally lifting his chin, attempting to look at him firmly.

Yuri met his eyes, but his own looked blank. His mouth flattening, he closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. “What was I supposed to do? If I had told you, how would you have reacted? I never intended for you to know.”

So he admitted it.

Beneath that look of indifference, Ivan thought he caught a glimpse of his true feelings, but what he saw was cold enough to send a shiver through him. That indifferent expression was hiding nothing. Before he even stepped in and saw the mask, Yuri must have already known what sort of conclusions to expect for himself.

The fear Ivan expected to see might have been in there, but he could tell that he wasn't remorseful. Yuri was a man who took responsibility for his actions, and he wasn't going to shy away or apologize for the things he'd done.

“You never... regretted what you did...” Ivan said slowly, as if saying it out loud would help him accept it for himself. “The things you did as Lunatic...” His gaze went back to his lap where he stared at his hands, seeing nothing. There was a large weight pressing down on his heart, but it was becoming easier to sort through his thoughts. The initial worry of their confrontation was already wearing off. “Right. That's right. That was what you believed in. You clearly explained your vision of 'justice' to us, like you intended to take all of the heroes down or prove us wrong, but... But then you stopped. Why? Were you afraid that I would figure it out? Did you change your mind?”

That was what he really wanted to know. No matter what stance Yuri presently took, he wanted to know what actions he planned to take as Lunatic for the future.

“I haven't changed my mind. The justice I serve is the justice I believe in. I still feel no regret, either. If I allow myself to feel regret now, what honor would Lunatic's justice have served? I would just be a murderer.”

Hearing him admit it out loud like that made Ivan physically recoil. Even though he knew what to expect, it didn't make that reality any easier to take.

Yuri said it himself...

Ivan didn't want to think about whether Yuri's sense of justice were enough to separate him from any of the other murderers he'd killed. His mind was already shouting 'guilty' as his heart fought to find Yuri's innocence.

Gently, contemplatively, Yuri brushed his thumb along the cracked edge of his mask. “I saw how earnestly you were fighting to be a good hero. You were the weakest of them, but I remembered you and your resolve. Having spent time with that person, listening to the way you believed in fair judgment, I simply thought... 'Ah. They don't need me here anymore.' As long as the city has someone like you, it doesn't need me.”

Was that really what he believed?

Ivan almost couldn't believe his ears, but that was Yuri's voice. Just for him, it sounded like he was willing to say what he was really thinking for the sake of clarity. Coming from Yuri, it didn't sound so surprising, but to think that _Lunatic_ was impressed by him...

“You really... believe that strongly in me as a hero?” Ivan asked, chest tight.

“Ivan, I'm sorry,” Yuri said, closing his eyes, hanging his head. “There's a lot you don't know about me. There's a lot I've never told you. My family... The reason I became Lunatic... I suppose those are things you deserve to know. It's been long enough.” Breathing deeply, he tilted his head back toward the ceiling. “It's been so long. You deserve to know.”

He was hurting. Ivan could tell.

That made him feel relieved.

“You don't have to tell me all at once. I can tell that it must have been difficult for you,” he said.

“You're treating me so kindly. Do you think I deserve kindness? Even knowing what you know now?” Yuri asked, looking at him directly.

Filled with certainty, Ivan nodded. “You protected me.”

“You don't need me to protect you anymore, though.”

“Are you saying it's alright for me to apprehend you?” Ivan asked, straightening his back, sitting upright. He couldn't understand why Yuri was suddenly going in the opposite direction. He wasn't turning his tail, but it sounded like he was allowing him to choose what would happen. “I won't. I won't do that. The person I love isn't a bad person. He isn't a murderer. You're a hero too.”

Surprised, Yuri's firm expression faltered. “Ivan...”

“Stop, okay? Stop acting all evasive. I already know the only truth that matters. You don't really want to stop. If you did, you wouldn't have kept those suits. You wouldn't have wanted to collect all those Lunatic figures. If you were really done, you would've been trying to put it all behind you. But you're still hoping - I can tell. You're hoping that everyone else will understand you so you can come be with-”

“Stop.”

“I won't!” Ivan shouted, pushing himself to his feet. He told himself he wouldn't, but his eyes were already wet. If Yuri wouldn't allow himself weakness, then Ivan would cry for him. He would shed a tear for every painful truth Yuri wouldn't allow himself to say. “You want to be with us, don't you? That's why you watched the forum! That's why you surrounded yourself with us! From the very beginning, you were trying to become closer to us because you wanted to understand us. You wanted to be a hero!”

He said it.

In his head and in his heart, all of it made sense. Every mysterious thread had been linked together. If all of that were true, then there were still some things he didn't understand, but it set the groundwork for a very possible foundation. There were many things he wanted to ask Yuri, but Yuri had to be willing to talk.

“If I'm wrong, tell me I'm wrong,” Ivan said.

Still, Yuri's lips were sealed.

“Say it!”

It seemed that he would sooner admit that he was Lunatic than admit that he wanted to be one of the heroes he'd claimed to hate. It was so obvious, it made Ivan want to scream.

It made him want to tell him he was an idiot.

He wanted to hit him.

If only he'd been there from the start to know how Yuri felt... If only someone had been there...

Rounding the living room table, Ivan stood in front of him and placed his hands over the ones that held the mask. “If you can't say it, then I hope you'll keep this. I hope you'll wear it again. If you don't want me to apprehend you, then stand up again. As the hero you're capable of being. For yourself.”

For a moment, Yuri remained quiet, staring at their hands. “A hero? I can't be a hero, Ivan.”

Ivan didn't know what Yuri was fighting anymore. “Why? Because you're a criminal?” He shook his head, a grin widening defiantly from one damp cheek to the other. “No one has to know your identity if you don't take credit for anything. Show up unannounced. Do everything the same way you did before. That must have been pretty difficult all by yourself, but you managed somehow, didn't you? I know you want to take down criminals, but I can tell that you want to help innocent people just as much. You don't need sponsors for that. All you need are your powers.”

“This, coming from you...” It must have sounded unexpected. After all, the first time they met, Ivan hadn't even been sure of his own capability as a hero. “You sound very sure of this idea, considering that you probably just made it up right now on the spot.”

“Ah, well...” Ivan let him go and scratched nervously at his cheek. Yuri had a point. He hadn't considered it very deeply, but it sounded like a good hook.

“Then, is this what you want?” Yuri asked, once again capturing his eyes.

“What's my alternative...?”

“You take me to prison.”

Ivan paled. “Nngh... That's not really...I mean, Lunatic or not, I don't think I could do that. I feel conflicted, yeah, but you gotta see what a hard choice that would be for me. I know what the 'right' decision should be, but that's not what I want.”

After another moment in which Yuri's heavy contemplation could be felt, Yuri turned the mask over in his hands and lifted it to put it on. With it over his face, he looked down at Ivan. Or... Ivan thought he was looking at him. It was impossible to tell. “Does it scare you?”

Ivan backed up slightly. “The face is really creepy.”

“That was the idea.”

Weakly, Ivan lifted a thumbs-up. “It's alright. I've been unknowingly shipping you with myself this entire time, so I'm used to it. If you show yourself some more, I get the feeling people will like you. You've already got a niche group of fans on the forum because of my fics about us, but you've seen how popular the merch with you has been, right? I bet that's the real reason why you've been holding on to your costume...” Grinning, he poked Yuri in the chest, amused that he was able to stand so close to the real Lunatic and tease him without fear. “You secretly love being popular, don't you? It makes you happy that there are people who support you.”

Yuri gave a sigh, muffled by the mask. “That's true.”

Huh. He didn't expect him to agree like that.

“Hey, you know... If you really do plan to help us... I probably don't have to say this, but... Don't go killing anyone, okay? I don't know if you were aware, but everyone was terrified of you – even criminals. It actually made our jobs a lot easier, having you around.” Well... “As long as you weren't killing the people we were supposed to be apprehending, that is.”

The laugh Yuri gave reminded Ivan of Lunatic's laugh. He wasn't sure if the mask was to blame.

“Ivan, I won't kill anyone. However...” Lifting a hand, he snapped his fingers, igniting a flame between them. “I can't guarantee that no one will get hurt.”

“Ahhh! You're so cool!” Ivan squealed, clapping his hands. Abruptly, he stopped, becoming serious. “Please don't hurt anyone, though. If you can help it.”

“Anything for you.”

“I thought you only obeyed the voice of Thanatos.” When he saw Yuri instinctively jerk at that reference from the past, Ivan chuckled proudly. “Uh-huh. That's some real chuuni shit right there. See, it all makes sense now that I know that Lunatic is a merch-collecting, MMO-playing loser like me. The only difference between us is that I got the short end of the NEXT powers stick. I can't believe this...”

Funny. For a while there, he almost started thinking that he was the one who'd succumbed to some sort of Stockholm syndrome. Meanwhile, he was the one who had Yuri wrapped around his finger.

It was anticlimactic, but it was what he should've expected.

After all, his fanfics about them always ended happily. Yuri, his most dedicated reader, saw them receiving the same end, too.

Emotionally exhausted, Ivan wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. After sending a glance to Yuri, he sat down on the floor in front of the coffee table and patted the spot on the floor next to him. “Take off that mask first, though. You're creeping me out.”

Yuri sat down next to him, resting on his knees, and turned to him, that terrifying mask still on his face. His arms were crossed. Even though Ivan couldn't see his face, his posture seemed pensive.

“Why do you still have it on...?”

Tapping his fingers against his arm, Yuri let out a worn out-sounding breath of his own before replying. “...I feel less vulnerable this way.”

He must've felt more comfortable with the mask on, otherwise he wouldn't have even admitted that. Smiling softly, Ivan scooted himself closer and worked his way into Yuri's lap, making him reposition himself so he could fit between his legs with his back against his chest. When he realized that Yuri wasn't going to put his arms around him, Ivan grabbed his hands and pulled his arms around himself.

“You're awfully insistent.”

“Even if you've given up on yourself, Yuri, I won't give up on you. I know that you can't escape your own logic, so you must be thinking you deserve to be punished, but... I can see through your mask. And I don't just mean through this crack,” Ivan said, turning around enough to plant a quick kiss to the exposed side of his cheek. He didn't know if Yuri was looking at him, but he tried to meet his eyes behind the mask. “I've always been able to tell that there was something bothering you. I know it's not just this. But whatever it is, I hope you know that you can rely on me.”

He wanted to know the answers to all of those questions he'd patiently ignored asking for Yuri's sake. Even if the truth were dark, and even if it were difficult for them both, Ivan wanted to know because he was sure that they could live much more happily by accepting it. He didn't mind if Yuri had to hide his face behind a mask or a username to get it out.

Slowly, Yuri raised a hand and took off his mask. Beneath it, he looked so tired and uncertain. That must have been the face he was always trying to hide, Ivan thought.

The arms around Ivan gently tightened. Yuri rested his forehead against the back of his shoulder.

“Ivan... Thank you.”

Reaching back, Ivan pet his hair. “Don't mention it, de gozaru.”

He didn't, and he didn't say anything else for quite a while, just resting there with his face hidden. Ivan was content to give him that time to recover. There were a lot of things he had to think about, as well. For sure, he couldn't tell anyone else about Lunatic's identity. He didn't expect anyone else to see things from his perspective, so, if he had to, he would just have to take that information to his grave.

It was a troubling thought, but he would do anything for the sake of protecting Yuri.

Trying to pull himself out of it, Ivan reached across the table to pull over the bag that Yuri brought in with him. He felt Yuri's head pick up, interested when he heard its rustling.

As soon as he pulled one of the boxes out, Ivan let out an amazed and equally amused laugh. “Wow... Check this thing out.” He tilted the box around to look at the figure inside but decided that he'd rather have a more up close and personal look at it. Carefully peeling back the tape that sealed the top of the box, he opened it and had the rest skillfully unboxed within seconds. The figure was already assembled in-box, but it came with a tiny crossbow as an additional attachment. Overall, it looked exactly like the original Lunatic figure, except that it was repainted in holiday colors and had a little Santa hat.

“I wonder if they're making fun of me,” Yuri said dryly, picking up the crossbow piece, painted in a shiny, festive red. “Red isn't my color at all.”

“Really? You don't have a costume at the back of the closet that looks like this?”

“I would sooner die than wear this.”

That was just too bad. Ivan already wanted to know how Yuri would look in a Santa hat. If he didn't like the festively-colored version of his costume, then perhaps Ivan could think of something else. Something cuter. Shorter.

Suddenly, all of his ideas seemed a lot funnier, knowing that Yuri was Lunatic.

That person who terrified the city into silence was Yuri. The notorious NEXT with a power and cunning that surpassed any hero was the quiet, exceedingly polite gentleman he met in the café those years ago at the forum meet up. All of stophavingfun's enraged capslocking made more sense, even if Ivan were unsure of where it originated.

Dissatisfaction. Self-loathing. Guilt.

He didn't need to know what happened in Yuri's past to understand those feelings, though.

Gently, Ivan placed Lunatic's miniature on the tabletop. “Hey, Yuri?” he said. He heard Yuri hum to let him know he had this attention. “I'm glad I met you.”

“What's that, all of a sudden?” he asked. “Please don't forget – I almost killed you, once.”

“Aren't you glad you didn't?” Ivan said, turning around enough to show Yuri his smile. Repositioning a little, he wrapped his arms around Yuri's shoulders. “I'm glad I found you before anyone else could put your flame out.”

Yuri gave him a weak smile in return. “That's certainly one way of putting it.”

Taking his hand, sensing that Yuri had to be guided to get him to do anything at the moment, Ivan stood and pulled him along with him, bringing him over to the couch. He'd never seen him looking so weak before. There was no question that the 'Lunatic' they knew had been defeated.

“Oh, you know...! I almost forgot!” Ivan said, clapping his hands together, trying to rouse Yuri as he slumped into the couch. “Uh... I was wondering how you'd feel about having a Christmas party. You see, the reason I even stumbled into that closet in the basement was because I was trying to clean up. We've got some suspicious stuff down there.” And he wasn't even talking about the costumes he found.

“A Christmas party? Here?” Yuri drawled, his head back against the cushions, staring at the ceiling. Gradually, a look like realization crossed his face. “Did you forget that we were already invited to a Christmas party?”

…

“Were we?” Ivan asked.

Yuri picked up his head and looked at the table. Whatever he was looking for must not have been there anymore, moved when Ivan did his cleaning. “There was an invitation sitting here for a week. Fire Emblem was the one who sent it.”

“Nathan?” Shoot, now he remembered. He couldn't believe that no one said anything about it to remind him. Then again, all of his friends were busy lately. Unfortunately, the holidays weren't as peaceful as one might hope. The busy city required a constant, watchful eye. “I wonder if everyone else is going... Do you remember when it is?”

“Not specifically, but I know you've got time if you wanted to get gifts for everyone.”

He looked like he was withering. Yuri must have realized that if he'd reminded him about the invitation, he wouldn't have tried to clean without him. He wouldn't have found out about his secret. Yuri wouldn't have had to worry.

But he would've been worrying anyway. As long as he kept that secret, the worry would have continued to grow inside of him. Though, even if it seemed large to him, Ivan felt sure that his worries were already on the decline.

“Yuri...”

Tiredly, Yuri inclined his head in his direction.

Smiling, Ivan moved himself closer to his side and found one of Yuri's hands, clasping it in one of his own. “This isn't the end.”

For a moment, Yuri closed his eyes, taking in a sharp breath. Ivan wondered if he was staving off tears.

“Such a naïve attitude,” Yuri said wistfully, a faraway look in his eyes. When he turned to look at Ivan, however, those eyes softened and reflected their gratitude. “You've rubbed off on me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...?


End file.
